This haunting music video cleverly illustrates the emotional re-discovery we experience when viewing old photographs. Do we remember how we felt when the image was taken? Are our memories mediated by other people’s memories? Does our perspective of an event or situation change over time?
Just as Simon Nasht re-created specific adventures of Frank Hurley in his documentary Hurley – the man who made history, so Irina Werner has re-staged childhood photographs.
The Argentinian concept of recreating images is an ongoing project titled Back to the Future, and these work beautifully with Feist’s song to effectively demonstrate emotional discovery. Hollie Singer directed this four minute long music video, and of particular interest in making links as related material to Nasht’s non-fiction text, is the use of split screen to provide viewers with both contrast and comparison of then and now.
We are invited to witness individuals re-discover their youth through the interplay between emotionally engaging lyrics and haunting music. The repetition of ‘Can’t go back, I can’t go on’ highlights the ambivalence or dilemma encountered by us as we negotiate relationships. This mirrors the personal statements made by Hurley’s daughters in describing him as a ‘fascinating stranger that visited’ rather than a father.
There are unexpected moments in the music video where re-staged stills come to life, taking us further into the re-discovered world of the photograph. Make a note of when this occurs and how it works with the music.
