Civilization — Marco Brambilla

I’m usually not too keen on simply referencing work posted on other sites and linking to it from my own blog, but a recent installation I’ve come across is just too good to pass up.

Meet Marco Brambilla: a video artist and filmmaker who was noticed by the owner of the Standard Hotel in New York City. His work, which was recently featured on Motionographer is an epic collage of footage pulled from over 400 sources that will be viewable as you step into one of the hotel’s elevators when it opens later in 2009. Depending on whether you are moving up or down on the elevator, you will be presented with an ascent or descent into heaven or hell à la Dante’s Divine Comedy.

I have never seen anything like this. My horizons are now broadened. Watch it. Then watch it again, and again. I must have watched it fifteen times already and I’m still plucking new details out of the filmographic fabric with each viewing. Bravo Marco! I applaud your expansive vision. Enjoy.

UPDATE: It seems that there are an extraordinary number of people lurking around the internet trying to figure out what music is used in this clip. I’ll offer a helping hand here: it’s Igor Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring), of course! Everyone should recognize it from their middle school Music Appreciation class, and if you don’t, then take a Music Appreciation class! Good ol’ Stravinksy. Always a force to be reckoned with.