Bio
Francisca Duran is a Chilean-Canadian experimental media artist who creates films, video installation, and 2D, photo-based, mixed-media works about history, memory and violence. Duran has exhibited internationally at film festivals and venues including Edinburgh International Film Festival, International Film Festival at Rotterdam, HotDocs, Arkipel, Anthology Film Archives, Los Angeles Film Forum, John Hansard Gallery and Gallery 44. Duran holds an M.F.A. from York University and a B.A.H. from Queen’s University. Her practice has been supported by research, travel, and production grants from Canadian arts councils.
Questionaire
Why did you get involved in this project?
It was important to me to keep busy during Ontario’s lockdown and stay connected to other artists.
Did the one week turn-around for the work help or hinder your creativity?
It takes me a long time to finish a film, I can find it hard to let go, call it done. I can get lost, bogged down, immersed in the minutiae. It was liberating to be a part of something bigger, an on-going creative conversation.
How did you feel about working on a project where you didn’t know who you were collaborating with?
Anonymity, as well as the short turn-around time, freed up creative expression. I felt free to experiment with the material I received because I didn’t feel I had to please or negotiate with the previous maker.
Has being involved in the project changed your thoughts on creativity?
The project has also helped me understand what students may feel (stress, excitement, fear of getting it wrong, idea-panic) when working on short exercises which is useful for curriculum planning.
If you worked on several videos, what kept you coming back for more and how many did you do?
I worked on 3 projects. Writing, shooting, editing.
I became enamoured with the anticipation to see the finished work, and who worked on it. It was my intention to work on 4, so each of the roles, but I ran out of time.