Considering the Salt Lake Art Center is just down the street from the Beehive Tea Room (designated the Salt Lake Cafe for Sundance visitors), it only makes sense to meander over for more visual delight in between films.---

Last night’s feature was Myth and Infrastructure, presented by CalArt Exprimental Animation graduate and artist Miwa Matreyek.

To tell you the truth, I had no idea what I was in for when I took a seat in the dark and spacious downstairs venue. There was much whispering of beauty, magic and interactive animation, so I couldn’t help but squirm in my seat as I waited for the show to start.

My eyes were flabbergasted. The animations projected on the screen were majestic pictures of familiarity, such as reading a book and baking pancakes, except Miwa interacted live, with the shadows of her arms, hands and body. Though her tricks remain mostly secret, it was clear there were layers of projections, not just in front of the screen but also behind, casting her shadow as if she were really in this glorious world of her imagination.

The pictures evolved into swirling stars and roaring oceans. She would position herself perfectly to appear like the animations were shooting from her hands. She would create islands and people, cities of destruction which she controlled by swarming ivy. She played on ideas of mythology, her large self vs. her tiny imitation, and the light and inspiration within her body, bursting from her soul.

The seats were full but the audience was small. I can’t stress enough the exhilarating visual experiences that await the public at the New Frontier. Coming up, a performance by James Franco was scheduled for tonight, but according to Miles Levy, his manager, he can’t risk flying “with the Oscars so close.” Either way you can still wander in during their special extended hours to check out their golden exhibits by clicking here.