Mark G. E. - Profile

Mark G.E. ~ Multi-Media Artist

Director of narrative, experimental and documentary film & video:

Projects:

History - A Compendium of Exhibition and Recognition

The Critic's View:

"Although they range from satire to Gothic to noir, the collection of short films by Mark G. E. share a similar atmosphere; equally stark apartments, basements, hotel rooms and office buildings. They also demonstrate a predilection for German expressionism and surrealism using the stiltedness of silent films, the Rorschach quality of Guy Maddin and a self-proclaimed fondness for late illustrator Edward Gorey. While narratively minimalist, rarely linear and various in themes the films tend to be achingly composed. The 50 eight-second tableaux of "The Unfortunate Gift" have a daguerrotype quality of Wisconsin Death Trip, whose filming Mark G. E. chronicalled in Midwestern Gothic. "Visual Catalog" is a haunting portrait of neurological bedlam."

-Duane Dudek The Milwaukee Journal Sentinal

"Mark G. E.'s best work lies in his visual ideas... like Monty Python on magic mushrooms."

-Dave Lurhssen The Shepherd Express

"Mysterious, intriguing, slightly off-kilter. Mark is a mature and skilled director. The composition of his shots are beautifully sculpted. His video work is just as rich-toned as film and possess a quality of depth."

-Elaine Litzau The Milwaukee Orbit

Biography:

At twelve years old, Mark G. E. got his first camera and has been making movies ever since. Tending to work in the short film genre, Mark has always been intrigued by tales of irony. His style is at times romanticized German expressionism (Fritz Lang, Carl Theodore Dreyer) & American noir (Orson Welles), usually coming from a conceptual art approach. To date Mark has made over 300 movies.

Visually, Mark is inspired by films from the twenties and early thirties such as Vampyre, Pandoras Box and Battleship Potemkin, "because they show the strings." His writing interests have always been along the lines of Poe, Gorey, Grimm, Kafka and Serling. Though, much of his taste may be on the dark side, he has always maintained a love of the absurdly witty. His interest in the human condition led him to obtaining a Ph.D. in Psychology.

"I am most intrigued by the strangely beautiful. In works like Dark House, Visual Catalog and The Unfortunate Gift, I have spent the last few years exploring the lyricism in suffering," says Mark, "It seems that through holding close the darkness of the human condition, one can discover the hope that exists therein."

Mark tends to develop an idea based around a technique that intrigues him. For example in The Unfortunate Gift, Mark was interested in creating a film that had the effect of randomly flipping through a book of text and pictures that left impressions of a story, but did not give the complete narrative. Through the use of fifty 8 second human tableaus with text, the viewer is given the pieces of a Victorian Era tale that unfolds into a mystery.

A Visual Catalog of Movement Disorders is part of a complete gallery installation that includes photographs by Theresa Ala Mode, clothing, furniture and personal articles found in estate of Dr. H_. The film was shot on Super 8 and distressed by rolling it around on the floor to interfere with projection. The piece focuses on a series of unfortunate souls who have inexplicable movement disorders. The piece was choreographed by Chicago-based performance artist Joseph Ravens.

As founder of the Joy Farm Performance Troupe, Mark assembled an ever-changing cast that created a monthly comedic television show described as a cross between Monty Python and the Twilight Zone. The show presented 6-8 minute short sketches, performance art and longer mini-movies. The Joy Farm writers worked off of influences such as Preston Sturges and 60's comedy shows mixed with David Lynch.

Notable Works:

Audio

Visual

Soul Chamber: A Surreal Black and White Short Film about Overcoming
Dark Works Collection DVD: Three Strangely Beautiful films.
Dark Comedy for Bright Minds: The Film & Video Works of Mark G. E.
Midwestern Gothic: The Making of Wisconsin Death Trip - Documentary of James Marsh's film.
Phantom Limb - Portrait of a man who becomes insane with guilt.
Burning Desire - A man is seduced into a double cross and winds up dead.
Psycho Probe with Monty Python's Graham Chapman - Mark gives Graham the Rorschach Inkblot Test.
Video Collaborations with Performance Artist Joseph Ravens.

Live Theater

Selected Writings

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