The artistic talents of Christopher Pekoc from the art studio and education program in the College of Arts and Sciences hits the big screen during the 34th annual Cleveland International Film Festival, March 18-28, at Tower City Cinemas at Tower City Center in downtown Cleveland.
Included among a group of short independent films, shown at 4:40 p.m. on
Friday, March 19, and again at noon on Monday, March 22, will be “The Beauty of Damage: the world of Christopher Pekoc.”
The 19-minute documentary is based on CWRU Art Historian Henry Adams’ essay on Pekoc’s work with the title of “The Beauty of Damage,” and it appeared in a catalogue that accompanied the exhibit of the artist’s work at the Convivium33 gallery in 2006-07.
The film explores the development of Pekoc’s artist life and was produced by award-winning Telos Production producer Thomas Ball. Adams helped initiate the project and co-produced it with Ball.
Funding came from Cleveland philanthropist Toby Devan Lewis, with additional support from the university.
In addition to the inside look at Pekoc’s art, described by Poet, Critic and former chairman of the National Endowment of the Arts Dana Gioia, as “visually stunning and sensual…and equal parts beautiful and unsettling,” the film includes commentaries by Adams, CWRU Vice President of University Relations Lara Kalafatis and Pekoc.
Adams gives a verbal description of descending into Pekoc’s basement studio in Tremont to describe walls lined with images of thorny branches, bird’s wings and human body parts.
“This is Pekoc’s alchemical laboratory, where bits and pieces of damaged, beautiful things are fused together into works of art,” Adams said.
“The Beauty of Damage” will be among six short films shown on Friday, March 19, and Monday, March 22.
Go online for details about the Cleveland International Film Festival.