North American

January 11, 2014 to March 12, 2014

NORTH AMERICAN

Exhibition Date: January 11 - March 12, 2014

MoNA presents the world premiere of a film by Robinson Devor and Charles Mudede. Working once again outside the traditional narrative structure, Devor and Mudede have created a unique film installation that follows a mentally exhausted airline pilot wandering through a massive public park.  The project was filmed entirely in Seattle's Olmstead-designed park system.

The installation begins with a 12-minute film showing a pilot's legal and psychological interviews, his internment in a downtown hotel room under airline supervision, and his subsequent escape from a hotel into the park across the street.

A middle aged white man in a pilot's uniform stands in front of a gate in this dimly lit photograph. A road with bright flowers and trees are in the background.

Park’s Gate

A hand with a silver wedding ring is placed on top of a park map, one finger pointing to a place called Rhododendron Glen.

Map of Olmstead Park System - You Are here

A middle aged white man in pilot's uniform looks up through aviator sunglasses. A green field with trees and people at a picnic bench are in the background.

Pilot in the Park

A photograph of a middle aged white man in a plane pilot's uniform, looking out a window from a dimly lit bedroom. Skyscraper apartment buildings are visible from the windows.

Pilot in a Hotel Room

The main part of the installation consists of a narrative film viewed in sections, as the Museum is transformed into various sections of the park. Visitors will experience the pilot's two day journey on multiple screens.

Robinson Devor and Charles Mudede's feature films Zoo and Police Beat have appeared at Sundance and the Cannes Film Festival. Critics have called their work "masterful" (New York Times), "beautiful and beguiling" (Village Voice), "breathtakingly original" and "compelling and haunting" (San Francisco Chronicle). Their work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

North American marks the reuniting of the film makers with core collaborators, Sean Kirby (cinematography) and Matt Levinthal (film editor and technical director for North American).

Join us on Saturday, January 11, 2014 from 1 - 3 pm when Devor and Mudede will give a visual presentation introducing their film.

Related links:

A pilot walks through a dimly lit field, with trees in the background. There is another person sitting on a bench.

Walking through the Park at Dusk