Eikon

A triptych in which the central contemplative image of a woman in repose, filmed against golden Sydney sandstone, is contrasted with two side panels of the same figure in constant movement in a coastal setting. The design of this secular icon is influenced by traditional Orthodox Church icons in which a serene, saintly figure is surrounded by highly coloured images of earthly activity. The optical work was achieved in the camera using matte-box masks and rewinding the 100 feet roll of film for the three exposures. This necessitated planning and editing in the camera, as no editing was possible afterwards. To indicate that it is realised on one roll of film, the orange fogging at both ends is included. The original sound composition by Arthur Cantrill is an aural equivalent of the image: a looped soprano note, representing the central image, is mixed with two tracks of improvised violin which represent the side panels. A stereo version on CD has the female voice centred and the two ...