CoSM The Movie Director Nick Krasnic interviewed by Tiffany Harker for GreenCine
The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors is a New York City art gallery and the subject of Nick Krasnic's first feature length documentary. CoSM was founded in 2004 by the artist Alex Grey and his wife, Allyson Grey, also an artist. The Sacred Mirrors refer to a series of paintings by Alex Grey that are housed within the art gallery. Located in the heart of New York City's Chelsea district, CoSM is a nontraditional space that can best be described as an artistic community that likely serves as a welcome respite from the trendy art scene cynicism. Programs include lectures, films and "live paintings."
Krasnic initially became interested in Alex Grey after picking up one of his books years ago. Grey was a medical illustrator for ten years before becoming widely recognized as a mystical artist. Perhaps best known for the album cover art he's done for musicians such as Tool, the Beastie Boys and Nirvana, Grey creates colorfully surreal and elaborate paintings that depict the internal human form complete with veins, muscles, organs, and yes, even chakras.
With the aid of Final Cut Pro and a modest budget of around $15,000, Nick Krasnic was inspired to create something experiential. He believes that the visceral experience of viewing the art work is tantamount to dissecting the artistic process. He was not interested in producing a formulaic art history documentary; rather, the director was inspired by a tour of Grey's work conducted by the artist himself in 2003.
The ambition of the documentary is to enact the intended experience of CoSM. Krasnic aims to create a "direct experience of what it's physically like to stand in front of these intensely radiant works." Admittedly, Krasnic is not objective about his chosen subject matter. He wants the architecture of the film to mimic the architecture of the space and hopes to lead the viewer on a journey throughout the rooms and paintings.
I admired the openness of the director throughout the interview and found his honesty refreshing. What's more, he's able to talk about love, compassion and interconnectedness without the slightest hint of irony. Nick even said that hallucinogenic mushrooms helped him decide on the best ambient music for the soundtrack. Now how many directors would openly admit to that?
GreenCine: When did you first discover Alex Grey's artwork and what inspired you to make this documentary?
Nick: Just out of high school, I was beginning to form my intentions as a filmmaker, artist, and individual when I crossed paths with Alex's first art book Sacred Mirrors. Like many others, I felt an immediate connection and familiarity with the work. Alex's mission left an indelible impression and allowed me to set a course for my own artistic career, approaching my studies with the understanding of the important role artists play in the movement for positive social change and the responsibility we carry in progressing not only the evolution of any particular artform, but that of human consciousness itself.
In 2003, during my last year of film school at Hunter College in New York City, I learned that Alex just so happened to live here as well. He and his wife Allyson, who is also a phenomenal painter, were just beginning to raise funding to build a permanent space for Alex's art, which led to the current Chapel of Sacred Mirrors that appears in the movie. Alex had a show at the Tibet House gallery and was appearing once a week to give a tour and interact with the public. The place was packed with people of all ages, sexes, races, and religions. Alex went from painting to painting sharing his intentions and influences with an unabashed honesty I had never seen from an artist, especially one that was alive, which immediately made me recognize the importance of documenting his performance- something that hadn't been done yet.
GreenCine: I'm especially interested in what made you choose to make a documentary as your first feature. How were you able to get this project funded?
Nick:After school I worked for a couple of very indie production companies working on low budget digital features and had done a few of my own shorts in school, including Alex's Tibet House tour which became the seed for CoSM The Movie.
After a couple years of freelancing, I was anxious to get that first feature done. Documentary was coming into its own and there was definitely a subject in Alex Grey and his paintings. I formed InspiredMind Films with my Co-Producer, Grant Werle, and we combined our resources, which included a Panasonic DVX 24P camera for production and an Apple G5 with Final Cut Pro for post. We raised about $15,000 from family and friends and a little help from the Grey's, hired a great crew and great Director of Photography in Alex Portugal, then spent two weeks filming non-stop inside CoSM. It was important for me to film the actual paintings themselves rather than just use photos. Not only could we create very filmic movements in camera, but it also captured the direct experience of what it's like to physically stand in front of these intensely radiant works.
GreenCine: What directors were you influenced by, especially an arts documentary that you may have seen?
Nick: Although the film is labeled as documentary, it uses mostly narrative filmmaking techniques. All the shots and lighting are meticulously planned out. Alex is speaking his own words from the heart, but we did have time to rehearse and talk about the dialogue in the same way I work with actors. There wasn't any particular film I had in mind, although I do relate it to interview programs like Joseph Campbell's Power of Myth and Deepak Chopra's Way of the Wizard- both of which have inspired and enlightened me a great deal.
GreenCine: I'm interested in the working relationship between you and Alex. Was he more of a mentor, or was he your subject-or both?
Nick: Alex is one of the most influential artists for me. I was a fan and a student before meeting, so it was a great honor to work with someone I admired very much. The initial concept to do the film and the overall style was something I first visualized, but here was this rare opportunity to have input from the artist himself and make sure he was happy with how his work was represented on screen. After spending eight months editing the film by myself, both Alex and Allyson Grey were able to come in and offer the constructive criticism necessary to get the rough cut where it needed to be. The project would not have been possible without them. They're both brilliant collaborators and teachers and really good friends.
GreenCine: How was the music chosen for the film?
Nick: There was about twenty-two hours of footage to sort through and edit into a cohesive film with a beginning, middle, and end. The Chapel itself is constructed to represent the ascension from material world to spiritual world with birth, love, family, death, and enlightenment serving as the unfolding iconic narrative. After assembling a rough cut with that spine in place, the music was then necessary to carry audiences through the paintings and through the rooms. Having no budget to work with, we had to look for music that we could acquire at no cost and musicians willing to donate their talents. Alex had this bin of CD's in his studio from independent musicians he had met over the years- lots of it ambient and electronic music without vocals, which lent itself perfectly as cinema score. One night I ate some magic mushrooms and listened to everything that was there, allowing my subconscious to associate the tone of certain tracks with the various tonal shifts in the film. There was great stuff there ranging all different genres. Not taking anything away from the final soundtrack, it would have been nice to have had more options, but independent moviemaking is all about making the best with the resources you have.
GreenCine: How do you feel about Alex Grey's LSD experiences as part of his art? Is this something that he was completely open to sharing with the cameras? Was anything "off" limits?
Nick: It was something he shared in his original gallery tours when talking about the influences behind particular paintings. Alex isn't telling people to take these substances. He's simply being honest about his own experiences. Throughout history, artists and musicians have derived tremendous visionary and spiritual insights from these sacraments. In the film, he only mentions it twice. For the initiated, Alex serves as a voice for their own similar experiences- he's one of the few who can literally paint that visionary state into a picture. I knew the references would turn some people off, but it was important not to censor him in any way. I feel it offers a new perspective on people's pre-conceived notions and conditioned biases about a substance like LSD or even marijuana. Whether it's sexist, religious, or racial biases, if the film can bring that to the surface in an individual then there's a chance it may plant a seed for transforming the mind. Being conscious of our hurtful judgments and negative thoughts is the first step towards re-conditioning or eradicating them- which makes a person healthier psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually.
GreenCine: Who do you hope will see CoSM The Movie and what do you want them to take from the experience?
Nick: I feel it's important to make this type of socially conscious media mainstream so more companies will invest in it. Docurama is the premier home video label for documentaries and they've done a wonderful job getting the film out there. It's also cool to think that future Alex Grey fans might come across this movie the same way I came across the book since most people have very vivid memories of their first introduction to the art. Encountering Grey's art also means exposure to the themes of the work. Spiritual ideals like tolerance, kindness, compassion, family values, and social responsibility.
The film also aims to capture the essence of the space. And although I tried to be objective, in a way, I am attempting to portray my own particular experience- which may be nothing like someone else's. However, I felt that by allowing my individual transformative journey during the creative process to come through the film, it added that necessary layer to bring it away from the educational tone generally associated with documentaries about art. It's Alex's masterful paintings and Alex's very wise words. My job was to interpret those elements in a cinematic vision. There is still an educational element in that the film serves as a visual study of the art. The camera pans every inch of all fifty-one gigantic canvases. It's a valuable tool in any art classroom and for future generations studying the form. For those fortunate enough to visit the CoSM gallery in New York, they can leave with the movie and re-live the experience whenever they want on DVD. For others who have never been, the DVD brings CoSM into their home, complete with an in-depth analysis of the works from the master painter himself. A very rare and unique gift that will still be here long after we're all gone.
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