When the Night Blooming Flower Blooms
by Shelly Schoeneshoefer

American video artist Karl Nussbaum’s newest installation explores our common tradition of bringing flowers to our loved ones when they are in the hospital. Nussbaum explained that the flowers are witnesses watching the gradual transition from life to death.  The images are reflecting the memories and acceptance during this transition time as the soul makes its journey to the world of the dead.  Nussbaum’s images are autobiographical such as the study of his deceased father and his mother lying in the hospital. If I had not asked him, I would have thought that this was a tribute to his dying mother but the night blooming flowers whispered a different song for her since she recovered. Among the images are the human eye and close ups of night blooming flowers which resemble the white parts of the eye. These images reflect back to the Dada surrealist artists and their usage of symbolism to create a new language and meaning when cryptically read.   His circular film is projected onto a Vietnam parachute formally used for dropping food or health packages. One can have a 360 degree view of this installation and it transforms the big abandoned open space of the former industrial building which is now the center of the short film festival into a wonderful and thought provoking space. I am always impressed by Nussbaum’s work when he puts together images that he has collected over many years and gives them a new meaning. I asked him if he was up for a workshop next year and that made him smile. We will have to wait and see if he will find the time to do one, I certainly would sign up for it in a minute if it becomes available.