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"The Self" is an experimental film by Nassia Kalamakis and Erik Madigan Heck, based on Heck’s two-part multidisciplinary artwork “The Garden” and “Safe Passage”.

Imagery from Heck's monographs, as well as his symbolic use of color in photography and painting are pulled from their original context and projected onto a parallel universe of sampled footage that serve as moving metaphors.

Previous iterations of the film are layered upon one another, creating a hyper-narrative of tiered references and revisions accompanied by Tilda Swinton’s reading of Heck’s poetry and an excerpt of his musical composition with Frits Wentink.

Color battles, charged diptychs and exaggerated visuals produce a fragmented landscape of kinetic meaning, revealing a hurried artist and his colors within an imagined world of aggressive inspiration and creative ambition that appear to trespass upon their own captivity.

The Self" presents an abstract artist's portrait - a ripe allegory and off leash celebration of Heck, his multidisciplinary offerings and transformative practice that seeks to capture the divine through whatever means and mediums necessary.

2017

Description: Choreographed insecurity, transmitted composure.

Credit: Riccordati Di Me (2003), Copying Beethoven (2006), “Harpsichord Concerto No.5 in F minor, BWV 1056” by Johann Sebastian Bach.

2018, Athens, Greece

Commissioned by Delti Pi productions in collaboration with Nikos Zarkos. Screened at the Italian Cultural Institute of Athens and the Teleglion Fine Arts Foundation in Thessaloniki.

Description: The unexpected appearance of the primitive self as a playful, strange and confusing acquaintance.

Credits: Peau D'âne (1970), Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s “24 Caprichos de Goya”.

2019

Description: Soul Retrieval, the (true) heroines journey.

Credit: Camille Claudel (1988), “Beyond Bach” by Gabriela Montero.

2021

Credits: Sodom and Gomorrah (1962), The Avenger (1962), War Gods of Babylon (1962), “Prizewinning” by Julianna Barwick.

Screened at Samos Arts Festival (August 2021) and Closing Soon, Athens (October 2021).

2019

Description: (Threatened) indecision, a defensive act of aggression against the (intrusive) decisive other.

Credit: A Quiet Place in the Country (1968), “Prizewinning” by Julianna Barwick.

2018

Description: Like a video game, triggers act as distinct levels of repressed trauma, leading to the final act of integration.

Credits: Eye in the Labyrinth (1972), selections from Beethoven’s “32 Piano Variations in C Minor“ (performed by Evgeny Kissin).

2016

Description: The illusion of separation.

Credit: The Appointment (1969), “Says” by Nils Frahm.

2020

Description: PTSD

Credits: Blind Beast (1969), “All Melody” by Nils Frahm.

Description: The fantasy of betraying one’s intimate relationship with the creative freedom of constraint.

Credit: Artemisia (1997), “Three Part Invention” by The Swingle Singers.

2017

Description: Twin Flame reunions.

Credits: The Appointment (1969), The Peach Thief (1964), L'homme Qui Ment (1968), Io La Conoscevo Bene (1965), Found footage, “Transformation 112” (Music for Deep Sleep).

2018

Description: An answered prayer one is not yet able to receive, returned to source.

Credits: The Silver Chalice (1954), “Beyond” by Daftside.

2016

Description: Attachment styles.

Credits: Irma Vep (1996), The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988), 'Tis Pity She's a Whore (1971), Ieri, Oggi, Domani (1963), “V. Speed Limit, A Night Ride” by Ezio Bosso & The Buxusconsort Strings Orchestra.

2018, Athens, Greece

Commissioned by Delti Pi productions in collaboration with Nikos Zarkos. Screened at the Italian Cultural Institute of Athens and the Teleglion Fine Arts Foundation in Thessaloniki.

Description: The ambiguous and consensual power dynamics of desire and rejection.

Credit: Nine (2009), Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s “24 Caprichos de Goya”.

2018

Description: Ecstatic reverie as restorative force of equilibrium.

Credits: Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951), “All You're Going to Want to Do Is Get Back There” by The Caretaker.

Screened at “Windows”, Closing Soon (Athens), December 2020.

Projection: The re-enactment of pre-existing content.

2018

Credits: “Sound Meditation” by Benjamin Lobst.

2019-Present

Description: Samples from ongoing works using gymnasts as moving, musical objects and color as sound.

Credits: Footage of 1976 Olympics Women's Gymnastics competition, “Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor” by Mozart, Bach’s “Violin Sonata No. 1 - Presto”, performed by Peter Joseph and “English Suite No.2 In a Minor - Prelude”, performed by Anne-Marie McDermott

2019

Credits: Footage of Olympics Women's Gymnastics competition, “Jesu Dulcis Memoria” by Tomás Luis de Victoria, performed by The Cambridge Singers.

Manipulating Moving Objects, Part 2

2017

Description: Sky screening of “Rumi’s Field”

Credits: The Appointment (1969), The Peach Thief (1964), L'homme Qui Ment (1968), Io La Conoscevo Bene (1965), Found footage, “Transformation 112” (Music for Deep Sleep).

2017

Description: Resistance as an act of surrender.

Credits: Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), “O sacrum convivium” by Peter Phillips & The Tallis Scholars

Work In Progress.