Artists Response to 9.11--A Documentary

by Dana Plautz '82 and Dave Decker '81
Monday, March 11, 7 p.m.
Templeton Student Center, Council Chamber

A documentary entitled "Artist Response to 9.11" has just been completed by a creative team in Portland, Oregon. The documentary shows various artists responses to the events of 9.11. The team captured how artists joined together in reflections, support, observation, and personal expression through their participation in various projects throughout the country in response to the 9.11 events. The show deals with the positive side of how art can help reconnect community and also promote healing through creative expression.

This program is a time capsule of the initial responses within a week after the attacks. The subject matter is about how artist dealt with and reacted to September 11th. Footage and projects were gathered from around the nation and the world. Everyone who participated in this project, including the creators, volunteered their time and efforts to pull this program together within a 3 month period.

The program contains interviews with 20 various artists around the country and a sampling of projects ranging from printmaking, to painting; animation to web design; illustration to photography; video art to new media installation; collage to murals; and Poetry to music.

Dana Plautz '82 has an appointment from the Governor or Oregon as Chairman for the Oregon State Film and Video Office and is on the board of directors of Eyebeam Atelier, a non-profit cultural and educational organization dedicated to digital art in NY as well as serving on the California College Arts and Craft (CCAC) Design + Media Advisory Board. Plautz came up with the concept because of her strong ties to the creative community. After learning what everyone was doing she decided it would be very worthwhile to document the projects and show how quickly people responded.

Dana enlisted Producer David Decker '81 of Mercury Productions http://www.mercuryproductions.com/ and Emmy nominated composer Greg Ives http://www.gregives.com to help make her vision a reality. She learned Decker had shot footage on the subject as well and the two collaborated on bringing the program to fruition. Just three weeks after 9.11 they had a script and footage to begin shaping the project.

This is a not for profit venture on the part of all the participants. The final program is being entered in film festivals and the team hopes it will also be broadcast on television. They are currently in discussions regarding this.

For more information contact: Dana Plautz 503-264-8809 or 503-222-3262