Abstract A Sun In the Palm is an experimental art film, an abstract, immersive and deep journey into the topic of human connection through sound and moving image. The film is divided in 5 acts, each showcasing the artistic practices of the five protagonists that build the narration, embodying one different perspective on connection: to God and the body, to nature and the soft heart of life, to the self through beauty, to others through love and conflict, to others through acceptance and gentleness and to the things of the world through empathy and unity. It is a narrative, abstract and spiritual elaboration, it aims to engage emotionally, hoping to leave the viewer with questions that can remain un-answered.
It’s the result of a one year artistic/curatorial research residency on Islamic spirituality and ritual in connection to contemporary art, a hybrid experimental project carried out by visual artist and curator Chiara Bastoni. The project is part of a longer term, hybrid research project on the intersection of curation and artistic production, that aims to bridge rituality as a methodology with the practice of contemporary art, and draw back from the latter the elements that can render the experience of art authentic, intense, deep, empathy oriented and connective.
The shooting eye is photographic. Besides the main narrative, a sense of connection and unity pervade the whole film, through the visual associations made. Messages overlap and layer. The film is permeated by references to Islamic rituals, to
some passages of the Qur’an, which are intentionally left subtle and silent, only perceivable by those who know and seek, a choice made to make the piece universal.
The piece is the first part of what aims to be a much wider and innovative project that unites researchers from various fields, deepening and widening what has been started throughout this process.