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Ann-Sofi Sidén, QM, I think I call her QM,
1997, 35 mm color film, 28 minutes (still)
| Ask the Artists: Ann-Sofi Sidén |
| Question 1: Who is QM? Where did her name come from? Is she supposed to be human? |
| HER FULL NAME IS QUEEN OF MUD, SHE WAS FOUND, STILL A CHILD, IN A KINDERGARTEN, BY A PROFESSOR JOHNSSON AND ACCORDING TO HIM SHE TURNED OUT TO BE THE BEST KID IN THE WEIGHTLESS CHAMBER. PR. JOHNSON THEN SET OUT HIS PRODIGY AND HER DESTINATION, ACCORDING TO HIM: QM WOULD SEARCH OUT OTHER PLANETS TO ENSURE HUMAN EXISTENCE IN THE UNIVERSE, AND THE PLANET THAT SHE CHOOSES WOULD BE CALLED EARTH JUST AS WE CALL THIS ONE EARTH. |
| Question 2: Was the film created entirely in Alice E. Fabian's home? I'd like to know more about her, and how she has influenced your work. |
| THE
FILM WAS SHOT IN A BROWNSTONE IN BROOKLYN. ALICE FABIAN LIVED ON W. 9TH
STREET IN NYC. SHE HAS BEEN THE RESOURCE FOR THREE OF MY INSTALLATIONS
MADE BETWEEN 1994-1996 AND OF COURSE THE FILM 1997, WHERE SHE ALSO MEETS
MY ALTER EGO QM. ALICE FABIAN IS A PERSON WITH A GREAT DETAILED SENSE OF
THE WORLD. THAT MIGHT SEEM HORRIFYING BUT IN MY VIEW I THINK WE ALL HAVE A
LITTLE OF HER INSIDE.
IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT A.E FABIAN YOU MIGHT ORDER A CATALOUGE, WITH AUDIO CD, SOLD AT PRINTED MATTER, A BOOKSTORE IN NYC. THE TITLE IS "NO. 144, IT'S BY CONFINING ONES NEIGHBOR THAT ONE IS CONVINCED OF ONE'S OWN SANITY" OR THE CATALOUGE ANN-SOFI SIDÉN XX1V BIENAL DE SAO PAOLO, PUBLISHED FOR MY PARTICIAPATION IN THE SAO PAOLO BIENNALE 1998, BY MODERNA MUSEET IN STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN. THIS LAST CATALOUGE FEATURES AN INTERVIEW WITH ME AND MATS STJERNSTEDT TALKING ABOUT WORKS REVOLVING AROUND ALICE FABIAN AND QUEEN OF MUD. |
| Question 3: Who is the man in the photograph that Dr. Fielding takes a pen to? |
| HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE AN OLDER SCIENTIST OR SCHOLAR IN PSYCHIATRY, SOMEONE SHE DOESN'T LIKE. SHE CALLS HIM BERNIE KIRSCHENBAUM WHO ACTUALLY IS MY FORMER PROFESSOR AND A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE. AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY SHE WOULD HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST HIM. |
| Question 4: Why did you decide that Dr. Fielding should block the window with books, rather than some other material? |
| IN THE VERY FIRST INSTALLATION (SITE SPECIFIC) I DID IN A GROUP SHOW CALLED "WHO HAS ENLARGED THIS HOLE?" 1994 THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE HOUSE ON W. 9TH STREET WHERE THE NOW DECEASED A.E FABIAN HAD LIVED. I BROUGHT UP ALL THE REMAINING BOOKS FROM HER 2ND FLOOR PSYCHIATRIC LIBRARY, UP TO HER 3RD FLOOR BEDROOM, TO COVER THE WINDOWS. THIS WAS AN ACT OF ME TRYING TO ENHANCE THE FEELING OF AN OVERLY INTELLIGENT PERSON CLOSING HER SELF OFF FROM THE WORLD NOW FINDING A NEW FUNCTION FOR HER LITERATURE. THE BACKS OF THE BOOKS, THE TITLES WHERE TURNED OUTWARD FACING THE WORLD OUTSIDE, AN INTELLECTUAL ARMORY, IN MY MIND, HER PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE TURNED AGAINST HERSELF. SO YEARS LATER WHEN I WROTE THE SCRIPT I USED THAT AS ALSO AS A METAPHOR FOR TIME PASSING. IN THE BEGINNING OF THE FILM THERE SHE HAS JUST BEGUN TO COVER THE WINDOWS. AT THE END THE BOOKS COMPLETELY BLOCK THE WINDOW'S AND THE VIEW. |
| Question 5: How long does it take you to transform into QM? Where and when will her next appearance be? |
| IT'S A REAL PAIN IN THE ASS TO BECOME QM, FOR EVERY SCENE WE SHOOT WE SPEND 1 HOUR WORKING WITH NOSEPUDDY TO BUILD UP QM'S FACIAL FEATURES. AND THEN TO HAVE WET MUD ON YOUR BODY, IT'S REALLY COLD!! DESPITE ALL THE HEAT FROM THE LIGHT'S I ALLWAYS FELT COLD, WHILE THE REST OF THE FILMCREW WHERE SWEATING. IT TAKES AT LEAST AN HOUR TO CLEAN UP AFTER EACH SCENE. BUT I HAD A GOOD HANDLER, THE DAUGHTER OF CATHLEENE WHO PLAYS RUTH, MOSSEY CHALFANT HELPED ME BUILDING UP THE MASK, KEEPING IT MOIST DURING THE SHOOT WITH A SPRAY BOTTLE USED FOR FLOWERS. |
| Ann-Sofi Sidén's CI:99/00 page |