Fulcrum Arts HQ
544 North Fair Oaks Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91103
Opening Reception
Saturday, May 17, 6–9 PM
“Archipelago of Earthen Bones” traces alternative cartographies of time, one rooted in the very geologic formations of our planet. Examining volcanic time as a means to comprehend geology, the three-channel video and sound installation seeks a sensing and knowledge that recognizes the divergent nature of the time scales that surround us. From the catastrophic ruptures, taking mere seconds, to formation of mountains over millions of years, “Archipelago of Earthen Bones” invites us to lean into time.
Using the tectonic plates as imaginary maps, Szlam films a constellation of ancient landforms, from the eroded vestiges of volcanic activity and relics of the Gondwana Rainforest in Australia, tracing a path along the central eastern ranges from Mount Wollumbin to Mount Beerwah and Bunya Mountains, to the afterglows of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai eruption in the sky. New earth and forest formations, present in the lava fields, shape the surroundings of active volcanoes in the southern Andes in Chile. Szlam is joined by Australian artist Lawrence English, who has composed the sound using Earth vibrations, murmurings, and signals.
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Malena Szlam is a Chilean-born, Tiohtià:ke/Mooniyang/Montreal-based filmmaker and visual artist. Her work examines the complex relationships that exist between humanity and the natural world, engaging with themes drawn from geopolitics, ecology, and the politics of perception. Working with 35mm, 16mm, and Super 8mm film, she also collaborates with scientists and composers to create immersive soundscapes.
Her films have screened at MoMA, TIFF, and IFFR, and her award-winning film ALTIPLANO (2018) received the Best Experimental Short Film prize at the Melbourne International Film Festival. Her work has been exhibited globally, including at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæk, Denmark, and featured in Artforum, e-flux, and Film Comment. Szlam’s work is included in the MoMA’s permanent collection.
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Malena Szlam: Archipelago of Earthen Bones is made possible in part with support from the Perenchio Foundation. Additional in-kind support provided by ARUP and GuestHaus Residency.
