Response to the Archive: Empty Spaces by Alaina Olivieri


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Empty Spaces

Created, Performed and Filmed by Alaina Olivieri
Edited by Stella Olivieri
Music by Frédéric Chopin (Source: Musopen.org)
Responding to ‘Gertrude’ by Renate Debrun, ‘Wistful While I Work’ by Amra Jamal-Ahmad, ‘It’s About the Touch’ by Roberta Schwartz, and ‘A Cover Story’ by Darien Lamen
Instagram: @alainaolivieri / @theballetschool_spcaa

I observed an almost invariable amount of work about loss, as I read through The Warp & Weft archive. The stories made me realize that we have all experienced different, but equally difficult losses during 2020. My response, Empty Spaces, is a reaction to the stories which I found especially evocative and relatable: ‘Gertrude’ by Renate Debrun, ‘Wistful While I Work’ by Amra Jamal-Ahmad, ‘It’s About the Touch’ by Roberta Schwartz, and ‘A Cover Story’ by Darien Lamen. The heaviness that I felt after reading these stories compelled me to create a work that represents the loss we collectively experienced during 2020, and continue to endure today.

[Canandaigua, New York]

All audio, video, text and images are under copyright © Neelum Films LLC


Comments (5)

  1. Lena

    I LOVE this! Seeing passion, movement and life in occurring within the very spaces declared unsafe for the masses..it’s beautiful.

    Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  2. Maureen Dunphy

    So inspiring and poignant in the face of our loss of freedom to enjoy spaces we once took for granted! Thank you Alaina, very very much.

    Reply
  3. Mary E Kadlubowski

    Hi,
    I love this. I think it would be a great help to my church congregation. How can I get permission to use it in my congregation as a meditation? I am doing a virtual tour with a variety of meditations and spiritual practices, it would be a perfect fit.

    Reply
    • maraahmedstudio

      Hi Mary, this is Mara. Thank you so much for engaging with the Warp & Weft. I checked with Alaina as well and you are welcome to use her piece as a meditation. Please use the link from the Warp & Weft and hopefully you can share that context. Thank you.

      Reply