City Hall Project
Suitable for all ages
With assistance from Future Cinema Lab - York University and Public Access
American Colour, 2011 - 2012
Film and Sound Installation
In 2011 a processing facility in Kansas – the last to process Kodachrome – discontinued the K14 developing process. The historical stock became obsolete. In 2010 the artist photographed 14 rolls of Kodachrome 16mm, which had been stored since 1986. The stock was developed in the last batch of footage processed. The resulting work is American Colour. The film was photographed over a week while travelling to Kansas from the birthplace of Kodachrome in upstate New York. In the wake of the obsolescence of Kodachrome, the footage is used to explore the stock's historic and unique rendering of colour, hue and light-value in relation to the American landscape and its architecture. The accompanying soundtrack is homage to Leopold Mannes and Leopold Godowsky Jr. the two violinists who invented Kodachrome in 1935. The piece was created using a violin, tape, processing and site-specific shortwave radio recorded during the photography.
Joshua Bonnetta is an artist working with film, video and sound, in various modes of theatrical exhibition, performance and installation. His work has shown at the Berlinale, The Toronto International Film Festival, The Images Festival, Mutek International Festival of Electronic Music, European Media Arts Festival and the Rotterdam Film Festival.
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Toronto City Hall loading dock, 100 Queen Street West (Accessible from Chestnut Street at Armoury Street. Wheelchair accessible via City Hall Front Security desk.)
This project is outdoors.