malus sapiens

this 9 minute film was a submission element in a module of my MA Fine Art (Falmouth, 2024 - 2026) and began as a conversation with an apple tree. 

the film is close-focus, exploring physicality and texture, giving attention to the tree whilst considering the materiality of film - the dynamic play of movement, light and colour on the screen - improvising with chance moments in a relational repetitous serialist process.

‘tintinnabuli’ is a term developed by Arvo Pärt to describe a melody running over a repeated triad chord. Using this structure the process of change and development in the film is slow, with three visual elements playing the part of the underlying triad:

1. the whole present tree
2. the sunshine breaking through leaves and branches
3. the obscured movement of dark and light across the tree’s surface

The further visual elements play the part of a more transitory melody line.

Similarly three sounds take the part of the triad:

1. the tree’s internal movements & creaking
2. the other than human environmental sounds
3. the habitual interweaving of human sounds in this place - a plane passing / a double bass playing in the distance…

The shrutti / harmonium drones / song /obscure repeated vocal take the melody line development over the triad - story and song describing attachment between self and place in the physicality of breath, the resonance of voice, the represented meaning created through imaginings and sixth sense experience of other.