ZADA

Our performance

“Won’t look in the mirror in fear of what I’ll find”

Zada performs in front of mirrors of all sizes and at different depths all reflecting back at her. She’s lit by faux water reflections on both sides of her face.

The camera remains unseen by shooting through a 2-way mirror. This also means that the mirrors behind her will be able to see her face a 2nd time reflected in the camera shielding 2-way mirrors. - See rough diagram below.

The resulting effect will have Zada reflected many times in the frame but in different sizes and angles.

Narrative

“Wish I could be anybody but myself”

It’s dusk. The sun has just dipped behind the horizon and the world is blue. Zada stands clothed but ankle-deep in water at the edge of a lake. She begins walking deeper into the water until she is waist-deep.

Zada dunks her head underwater. From under the water, we see that Zada is now somebody else. This other person looks in disbelief at her hands, her skin but begins running out of breath.

Zada resurfaces, panting. She’s back above the surface and back as herself. She’s desperate to try this again. She wades deeper into the water and this time dives fully under.

Under the surface, Zada is now a completely new person. She swims about. Loving the experience of being someone else. Again though, she runs out of breath and needs to resurface.

After resurfacing, this process repeats one final 3rd time but with more desperation to be under the water for longer. She would rather be under the surface.

Upon resurfacing a final time, Zada admits defeat, she cannot stay under forever. She pulls herself back up on the shore. She sees her own reflection in the surface of the water and smiles.