Stark, Mary
Film As Fabric (10")
The third Industrial Folklore Tapes release is constructed from live recordings of a performance tilted 'Film as Fabric' by Mary Stark, which examines relationships between textile practice and filmmaking. From 2012-2016, Mary's studio practice and numerous performances took place in Rogue Artist Studios at Crusader Mill in Manchester, formerly a production site of machinery for the cotton industry and a garment works. The performance has been enriched by exploration of Lancashire's industrial heritage and Mary's family history, which includes workers in cotton mills and expert needlewomen. The performance repeatedly involves sound in physical formats through optical sound, work song and recordings of weaving machinery on vinyl records, the amplified mechanisms of the film projector and sewing machine, and Mary's voice. The performance highlights the now obsolete industrial practice of linear film editing and shows photochemical film as a sculptural reflective fabric, measured and worn on the body, cut with scissors and stitched on the sewing machine. Through the filmmaking technology of optical sound, fabric and stitch patterns are transformed into noise, referring to a lesser-known sonic world associated with textile production. The live recordings are from performances at Full of Noises Festival 2015, and in 2016 at Islington Mill, Manchester Histories Festival and Radio Revolten International Festival of Radio Art. Comes in gatefold sleeve with 12 page black and white machine sewn booklet and 16mm black and white patterned fabric photogram. Limited edition of 250 copies.