(Peekskill, NY) GeneFree is the moniker used by two local artists, Marcy B. Freedman and Gene Panczenko, when they work collaboratively on video projects. Their newest endeavor is called “The White Room,” and it will have its first public screening at THE FLATZ, 1008 Main Street on June 6 and 7 from noon to 5pm, each day.
“The White Room” is a short, surreal video that may pose more questions for the viewer than provide answers. A woman finds herself in a strange barren room, devoid of any furnishings other than the chair she is sitting on. There are two covered doorways, but each is labeled “Do Not Enter.” She does not know why she is there and what she is supposed to do. Initially, she is resolved to wait to see what happens. When her emotional state evolves from uncertainty to annoyance to anxiety to near panic, she decides to take action. As the film has no dialogue, the lead character, played by Freedman herself, conveys her emotional state silently, with facial expressions and body language. The cinematography and sound track by Mr. Panczenko, reinforce the troubling mood of disquiet and angst with stylized shot angles and an unusual musical score composed of unconventional sounds.
Appropriately, the video will be screened in a small, dark room on the ground floor of the newly-renovated, historic building now called The Flatz. Viewers can remain as long as they wish, watching and re-watching the mysterious video, seeking their own interpretations of the troubling action. Freedman and Panczenko, long-time fixtures of the Peekskill art scene, are pleased to share their new work with the public during Peekskill Open Studios 2015, and they are grateful to Monica Flaherty of The Flatz for providing them with this opportunity!
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