The Universe

With light-drenched visuals illuminating a screenplay of "dialogue and poetry," filmmaker Gerson made this short B&W experimental feature about a man who confronts the meaning of existence in a variety of cityscapes. Gerson described the film: "The narrative form expanded, utilizing non-linear sequences within a linear structure. Past, Present and Future are interwoven throughout to present a total, heightened reality."

Various unrelated vignettes, often juxtaposing sound and image.

Amid Guanajuato's vibrant streets, an aging filmmaker becomes a modern Don Quixote, joined by a spirited young animator as his loyal Sanchia. Together, they navigate themes of mortality, unfulfilled dreams, and the fragile line between madness and clarity, uncovering the transformative power of light, art, and the landscapes that shape our souls.

GROUP VII: PORTRAIT OF DIANA (1970, 4 min, 16mm, silent) PORTRAIT OF ANDREW NOREN (1972, 4 min, 16mm, silent) These films are personal light portraits. I consider them unique and beautiful.

“Since all matter in the Universe pulsates rhythmically, it is therefore , in constant motion. My film/videos become an activated metaphor to elucidate this phenomenon . I attempt to create psychically charged images that are in a constant state of flux- structured formally but with a poetic intent. Through the use of slow movements and small changes the images become felt, eliciting an almost tactile response."-Director Statement

"Oblique mattes, instead of blocking the vision, accentuate our ability to see and appreciate details, narrowing and expanding the focus of our attention, rendering symmetry and simplicity simply unbalanced. Through repetition of this approach, the movement and the framing become a sensual force —and the objects appear in all their voluptuousness. Gerson has employed this technique repeatedly. In his Translucent Appearances (1975), thirty-five different shots of Niagara Falls are blocked by horizontal, monochromatic mattes. The object is shaped —water flowing seeking a form that will suffice. These are films that disclose gradually, changing revealed and unrevealed layers of visual information." Mónica Savirón

2023 digital work by Barry Gerson

The film is in three sections each dealing with a different manifestation of the relationships between colors and shapes and their effect on our perception of movement through light.

2016 digital work by Barry Gerson

A confined space alive and teeming with energy – shapes merge forming new shapes.