TIM CLARK: THE BEST PHOTO BOOKS OF 2013
"'Casa de Lava' is a 1994 film by Portuguese filmmaker Pedro COSTA. 35 years old at the time, he travelled to the islands of Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean to shoot this second feature of his, which on completion signaled to the world the presence of an outstanding talent.
During the course of the production preparation, he compiled what he saw, what he read, his many ideas and images into a scrapbook instead of a screenplay Paintings, movie stills, letters, newspaper articles, scribbles, quotes from novels, postcards, lines of dialogue, snapshots that guided him throughout the shooting of the film and that he continued - and finished - after returning to Lisboa.
This green covered notebook, 'Casa de Lava', overflowing with collage and dog-eared from his hands, became an autonomous object, a visual record of COSTA's way of thinking.
Reproducing the original book in full color, we've included an exclusive interview with Nuno Crespo and a text by Philippe Azoury (both in portuguese, english and french)." (publisher's note, © Pierre von Kleist, 2013)
"Here it is, film maker Pedro Costa's private scrapbook compiled during the course of producing his film Casa de Lava in Cape Verde in 1994. A smogasboard of newspaper clippings, paintings, letters, postcards, film stills and extracts of dialogue, what started out as research and production notes gradually developed into an autonomous object in itself, something more akin to a mood board of aesthetic sensations. It neither offers commentary or critique of the film but rather has its own time and space, building a compelling, flowing picture of Costa's creative quandaries whilst shooting, only to stop suddenly with seven untouched pages." (© Tim Clark)
About the artist, Pedro COSTA (b. 1959 in Lisboa, PT) :
Pedro COSTA left his course of studies in History to attend classes taught by the poet and filmmaker António Reis at the Lisbon Film School. His first film 'O Sangue / Blood' had its world premiere at the Mostra Cinematografica di Venezia in 1989. His other feature films include 'Ossos', 'In Vanda's Room' and 'Where Does Your Hidden Smile Lie?', on the work of Danièle Huillet and Jean-Marie Straub. Recently he directed 'Sweet Exorcist', a segment of the omnibus feature 'Centro Histórico', with Manoel de Oliveira, Aki Kaurismaki and Victor Erice. COSTA's work has been presented in galleries and museums around the world. He is one of the invited artists of the Cuban Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2013.
"'Casa de Lava' is a 1994 film by Portuguese filmmaker Pedro COSTA. 35 years old at the time, he travelled to the islands of Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean to shoot this second feature of his, which on completion signaled to the world the presence of an outstanding talent.
During the course of the production preparation, he compiled what he saw, what he read, his many ideas and images into a scrapbook instead of a screenplay Paintings, movie stills, letters, newspaper articles, scribbles, quotes from novels, postcards, lines of dialogue, snapshots that guided him throughout the shooting of the film and that he continued - and finished - after returning to Lisboa.
This green covered notebook, 'Casa de Lava', overflowing with collage and dog-eared from his hands, became an autonomous object, a visual record of COSTA's way of thinking.
Reproducing the original book in full color, we've included an exclusive interview with Nuno Crespo and a text by Philippe Azoury (both in portuguese, english and french)." (publisher's note, © Pierre von Kleist, 2013)
"Here it is, film maker Pedro Costa's private scrapbook compiled during the course of producing his film Casa de Lava in Cape Verde in 1994. A smogasboard of newspaper clippings, paintings, letters, postcards, film stills and extracts of dialogue, what started out as research and production notes gradually developed into an autonomous object in itself, something more akin to a mood board of aesthetic sensations. It neither offers commentary or critique of the film but rather has its own time and space, building a compelling, flowing picture of Costa's creative quandaries whilst shooting, only to stop suddenly with seven untouched pages." (© Tim Clark)
About the artist, Pedro COSTA (b. 1959 in Lisboa, PT) :
Pedro COSTA left his course of studies in History to attend classes taught by the poet and filmmaker António Reis at the Lisbon Film School. His first film 'O Sangue / Blood' had its world premiere at the Mostra Cinematografica di Venezia in 1989. His other feature films include 'Ossos', 'In Vanda's Room' and 'Where Does Your Hidden Smile Lie?', on the work of Danièle Huillet and Jean-Marie Straub. Recently he directed 'Sweet Exorcist', a segment of the omnibus feature 'Centro Histórico', with Manoel de Oliveira, Aki Kaurismaki and Victor Erice. COSTA's work has been presented in galleries and museums around the world. He is one of the invited artists of the Cuban Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2013.
- Format
- re-edit, HC (no dust jacket, as issued), 15 x 21 x 1,5 cm., 144 pp., color ills.,