A First Look at L'Enigme du Desir: Ma Mere, Ma Mere, Ma Mere

To see a preview of L'Enigme du Desir: Ma Mere, Ma Mere, Ma Mere, click on the link below:

https://vimeo.com/101059430

Please select the HD setting for optimal viewing.

New Image from the Denmark Shoot for L'Enigme du Desir: Ma Mere, Ma Mere

A new image from the Denmark shoot for L'Enigme du Desir: Ma Mere, Ma Mere, Ma Mere, with Anne Louise Hassing (Peter Greenaway). Cinematography by Leif Ascanius Sol.

New Image from the Los Angeles Shoot for L'Enigme du Desir: Ma Mere, Ma Mere, Ma Mere

A new image from the Los Angeles shoot for L'Enigme du Desir: Ma Mere, Ma Mere, Ma Mere, with actress Kate Fisher (Robert Wilson). Cinematography by Eli Rarey.

L'Enigme du Desir: Ma Mere, Ma Mere, Ma Mere

L'Enigme du Desir: Ma Mere, Ma Mere, Ma Mere (The Enigma of Desire: My Mother, My Mother, My Mother) is a feature film project I am directing, that is being shot in various countries around the world: France, Germany, Italy, America, England, Poland, Denmark, Belarus, Iceland, and Austria.

The title of the film (originally derived from a painting by Salvador Dali) is a reference to my adoption at birth and my never having known my mother throughout the course of my life. It is also a reference to the Oedipus complex, the spectrum of emotions and ideas that the mind keeps locked in the unconscious, via dynamic repression, that encompass the male child’s desire to sexually possess the mother. And, finally, the title also references the archetype of the mother, as it appears in the collective unconscious, manifesting itself in a myriad of forms throughout history, in art, mythology, and religion.

The music for the film was composed over a five year period by myself and musicians from the bands of Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, David Bowie, Tom Waits, and Leonard Cohen, as well as with members of the Philip Glass Ensemble and Kronos Quartet.

The process for generating material for the film is for me to send the actors a number of musical compositions to respond to in their own medium. The actors will use the music as a catalyst and point of departure for their own imaginings, devising a performance, then filming the performance on video. The various contributions from the actors in their respective countries will then be sent to me to edit and arrange into the final narrative of the feature film.

The actors will all have the same point of reference for generating their work, the music, however, each of the individual actors will be hermetically sealed-off from their counterparts, not knowing what the others are doing in their own work. They will interact, but only in a psychic, telepathic, or unconscious way. When I used this same aleatory process to create the music, there were many instances of synchronicity that occurred in the work, where various themes and motifs and appeared and reappeared from musicians separated by great distance in their various countries. There were startling instances of the musicians "talking," to each other in the music, as if they were in the same room, whereas in actual fact they were thousands of miles apart. I believe this phenomenon will also occur with the actors during the creation of the film.

The cast of actors includes Philippe Nahon (Gaspar Noe), Kate Moran (Peter Greenaway), Kate Fisher (Robert Wilson), Tricia Vessey (Clair Denis), Pamela Flores (Alejandro Jodorowsky), Stefano Cassetti (Francois Ozon), Clementine Poidatz (Sofia Coppola), Frankie Thorn (Abel Ferrara), Karl Sarafidis (Bruno Dumont), Olga Riazanova (Jean-Luc Godard), Ulli Lommel (Rainer Werner Fassbinder), Artur Barcis (Krzysztof Kieslowski), AE Kingsmill, Stefania Casini (Andy Warhol), Isolda Dychauk (Alexander Sokurov), Daphne Baiwir (Catherine Breillat), Aurora Marion (Chantel Akerman), Elisa Wald-Lasowski (David Cronenberg), Carole Combes (Olivier Assayas), Anne Louise Hassing (Lars von Trier), and many others.

A large percentage of the cast are women. This, of course, reflects the theme of the project. The various women could be seen as different characters, or, as different aspects of the same character, the same woman, the one woman that contains within her all women. This holographic portrayal of woman, will incorporate a myriad of personae culled from art, history, mythology, and religion, figures such as Niobe, Medea, Ophelia, Isis, The Adored Virgin, Eve, Lilith, Kali, Jocasta, Cybele, and so on. By virtue of the process of its creation, the film will also explore notions of quantum entanglement, the Hive Mind, and the ontology of the collective. Ultimately, L'Enigme du Desir: Ma Mere, Ma Mere, Ma Mere, will be a portrait of the unknown woman, my mother, my mother, my mother, refracted through the prism of art.

New Images from the Denmark Shoot for L'Enigme du Desir: Ma Mere, Ma Mere, Ma Mere

New images from the Denmark shoot for L'Enigme du Desir: Ma Mere, Ma Mere, Ma Mere, with actress Anne Louise Hassing (Lars Von Trier, Peter Greenaway). Cinematography by Leif Ascanius Sol.

L'Enigme du Desir: Ma Mere, Ma Mere, Ma Mere - Second Phase of Casting Complete

The second phase of casting for L'Enigme du Desir: Ma Mere, Ma Mere, Ma Mere is complete, with the following actors, actresses and artists joining the cast: Yana Novikova (Myroslav Slaboshpytsky), Isolda Dychauk (Alexander Sokurov), Alyzee Soudet (Luc Besson), Helena Soubeyrand, Noemie Schmidt, Stefano Cassetti (Francois Ozon), Dounia Sichov (Catherine Breillat), Floria Sigismondi (David Bowie), Carole Combes (Olivier Assayas), Malgorzata Dancewicz, Olga Riazanova (Jean-Luc Godard), Pamela Flores (Alejandro Jodorowsky), Stefania Casini (Dario Argento), Gottfried Helnwein, Aurora Marion (Chantal Akerman), Daphne Baiwir (Catherine Breillat), Elisa Wald-Lasowski (David Cronenberg), Clementine Poidatz (Sofia Coppola), Luna Picoli-Truffat, Philippe Nahon (Gaspar Noe), and Tricia Vessey (Claire Denis).

The third and final phase of the casting process will begin soon.

L'Enigme du Desir: Ma Mere, Ma Mere, Ma Mere - First Phase of Casting Complete

The first phase of casting for L'Enigme du Desir: Ma Mere, Ma Mere, Ma Mere is complete, with the following actors, actresses, and artists, joining the cast: Anne Louise Hassing (Lars von Trier), Artur Barcis (Krzysztof Kieslowski), Camille Mutel (Compagnie Li luo), Chiara Causa (Societas Raffaello Sanzio), Helga Davis (Robert Wilson), A.E. Kingsmill, Karl Sarafidis (Bruno Dumont), Kate Fisher (Robert Wilson), Kate Moran (Peter Greenaway), Katell Daunis (Lucile Hadzihalilovic), Nelly Zagury (Matthew Barney), Maud Wyler (Abdellatif Kechiche), Cesar Sarachu (Brothers Quay), Katarzyna Konieczka, Litsa Kiousi, David Yow (The Jesus Lizard), Frankie Thorn (Abel Ferrara), Maxine Kazis (Theater Kiel), Janne Hoem (The Living Theatre).

Phase two of the casting process will commence soon.

Photo-Painting Work Exhibited at Postcards from the Edge at Luhring Augustine

One of my works: Traum und Trauma 14 (Detail), will be exhibited at Luhring Augustine in the Postcards from the Edge show with art by Vito Acconci, Kiki Smith, John Baldessari, Catherine Opie, Ed Ruscha, Lawrence Weiner, and others.

All proceeds from sales of the work go to Visual AIDS, an organization that raises awareness about AIDS and supports artists living with the disease.

Sound Art Works at the 55th Venice Biennale

Earlier this year, two of my sound art works were exhibited on a lathe cut polycarbonate record at the 55th Venice Biennale. The work was presented as part of the Road to Nowhere panel discussion at the University of Venice.

The sound art works on the disc where: The Snow of Your Name, with music by myself, Ariel Lorca, Eleonor Sandresky (Philip Glass Ensemble), Mick Rossi (Philip Glass Ensemble), and David Crowell (Philip Glass Ensemble); and: Oannes (Reprise), with music by myself, Ariel Lorca, Julia Kent (Antony and the Johnsons), Jem Finer (The Pogues), and Andrew Sterman (Philip Glass Ensemble).

You can hear one of the compositions here:

https://soundcloud.com/paulamlehn/oannes-reprise

This is the second time my work has been presented at Venice. In 2005, one of my text works, Untitled, was exhibited at the Isola della Poesia, at the 51st Venice Biennale.

Gerhard Richter to Provide Cover Art for My Album Works

Painter Gerhard Richter is providing cover art for several of my forthcoming album works: Blood of Union, The Heart Flutters on a Thread and Loves the Errors of Its Killer, and: A Walk to the End of the World.

My heartfelt thanks to Gerhard.

Paul Amlehn and John Cage

I am currently working on an album, which will re-visit and re-imagine the work of John Cage.

I will be utilizing a number of John's existing recordings, de-constructing and re-constructing them into new forms. It is important to ensure that these works are not merely a pastiche or homage, but, are in their own right, functioning musical organisms. To this end, I will employ chance procedures and other processes that incorporate hazard and indeterminacy, as well as considered conceptual, thematic, and narrative approaches.

Cage is widely considered to be one of the most influential American composers of the 20th century. I am looking forward to engaging with his oeuvre and seeing what arises from that interaction.

My thanks to the John Cage Trust and Edition Peters.

Paul Amlehn and William S. Burroughs Project: A Walk to the End of the World

In late 2012 and early 2013, I worked on a number of compositions of music which utilized the texts and vocals of William S. Burroughs. After a brief hiatus, I am back working on the project, which will be released as an album, titled: A Walk to the End of the World.

The most recent compositions that have been completed on the project are: The Piper Pulled Down the Sky, with music by Mick Rossi of the Philip Glass Ensemble, and Jeffrey Zeigler of the Kronos Quartet, arranged and produced by myself and Ariel Lorca; and Interzone, with music by Ulrich Krieger of the Metal Machine Trio and Stephen Vitiello, graphic score by John Cage, produced and arranged by myself and Ariel Lorca.

You can listen to two of the compositions here:

http://soundcloud.com/amlehn-burroughs/the-piper-pulled-down-the-sky

http://soundcloud.com/amlehn-burroughs/interzone

Cover art for the project has been provided by Gerhard Richter. Pictured above is the cover image, from Gerhard's November series: 3 Nov 2008.