Video killed the radio star

by Christine Mersch
FOR THE POST

Instead of sculpting things in clay, David Drake is sculpting video in his "Bio" Video Installation show.

Drake, an Ohio University graduate student, used projectors, screens and lots of sound for his show that premiered at Seigfred Gallery on Tuesday.

Drake used three screens with three different looped projections being shown on each screen. But how did a previous sculpture major end up working with video?

"I started not being able to make my ideas work in sculpture," Drake said. "Video seemed an obvious solution to many of my problems."

Drake's show features two screens filled with blends of construction, fire and other images of development. Because the images are somewhat discomforting to watch, they grab your attention and won't let go during the entire show.

A close-up of Drake's face fills the third, see-through screen. Drake performs his monologue about the effects of a nuclear power plant that slowly deteriorate a small town, as he sits behind the third screen. It makes him seem like the omnipotent wizard from ••The Wizard of Oz••.

As the audience walks into the gallery, three screens that are spread out around the room surround them. This placement throws viewers into a world of constant disruption and change, and Drake's face is the reference point.

"I still see video as an object," Drake said. "It is made out of light, electrons. But it is still an object. In that way, it is very similar to sculpting."

Drake's monologue blends in with the sounds around you, pulling you deeper into the production.

"I thought the show was powerful, that the elements worked well together," said Adrian Hatfield, an audience member. "It ended pretty abruptly, though."

The combination of music, video and Drake's monologue can get confusing at times. "There was so much going on, I was unsure of what to listen to," said Anja Sommer, another audience member.

Drake's monologue lasts roughly 17 minutes, and you can catch the show through Tuesday. The production runs continuously during the gallery's hours of operation, and there are written copies of Drake's monologue at the door.

Drake used to document his work in an art studio through the use of video. He has used video for art purposes since the beginning of last year and worked on pieces for the Athens Film Festival.

"There's a steep learning curve with this medium," Drake said. "I like showing video productions in more of a three-dimensional space rather than just one, flat screen."

Drake's show runs during open gallery hours through Tuesday. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.