Inspired by William Kentridge

I was inspired by the opening scene of William Kentridge’s animation film series Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot, in which a projection of Kentridge moves around a sketchbook screen, while his hands are visible sketching in the book and placing objects on top, interacting with the projected figure and the surrounding space. I wanted to experiment with that same concept and discover what that meant for me as a dancer/animator. Throughout this exploration, one thing led to another, and I realized my film revealed itself of what it’s about. As Kentridge has emphasized being who you are in the making process, I also realized that this film is my own self-portrait. How I see myself internally while also observing myself through external communications. Someone noticed what she thought was a butterfly passing by me in one of the footage scenes. Although I didn’t notice it while filming, I felt that there must be a reason for this sort of coincidence. The moment with the “butterfly” somehow felt meaningful, and led me to think about the connotations for it: loss, remembrance, nature, growth, and hope. We live through a lot of moments that are unnoticed, but those moments can also be part of the self-portrait. This film started with just a purpose of experimenting, but it grew to become so much more than that in the end. It became my own process of self discovery along with the “butterfly” that gave me a sense of hope.