Filmmaker
and
Multimedia Artist
Robert Bornn is a
filmmaker and multimedia artist. For more than four decades he has created,
exhibited, and marketed a wide variety of media, including films and images
beginning in 1968 when his first lyrical film, Mandarin Orange Matrix
was
screened at the historic Filmmakers Cinematheque, in New York City.
He is also a professional still photographer and was under contract with
The
Image Bank in its early days. His subject matter ranges from
nature and abstracts to portraiture, dance, and glamour. He has vividly
articulated rural and urban locales as well as special effects from New
York City, Nova Scotia, the Adirondack Mountains, Vermont, Coastal Maine,
Boston, Northern California, and Vashon Island in Washington. He creates
custom
photograph and video portfolios for professional and personal use.
In 2004 Robert released
his movie,
Ocean's
Edge - Spirit's Journey (on DVD) celebrating the lyrical, spiritual,
and sensuous sides of nature on the Northern California coast. Ocean's
Edge is the first in his Ebb and Flow trilogy film series. In 2005
he created his next movie,
Here
and Now: Vashon-Maury Island (on DVD) an alternative, romantic
view of nature in a narrative-free and nonviolent style. In 2008
Robert released the final movie in his film trilogy, Bird
Dreams. Each film in the Ebb and Flow trilogy
offers an evocative perspective on nature.
Robert has
also been a musician for more than 40 years and for more than 12 years
was the artistic and founding director of DIAJ
(Drummers in a Jam), a performing and recording group which included
musicians from the mid-peninsula and wider San Francisco Bay Area (CD
and samples available).
Robert currently
performs with SoundMoments
Duo in the Puget Sound area.
SELECTED MEDIA
EXHIBITS
Filmmakers Cinematheque,
New York City, 1968. Created and screened film short, Mandarin
Orange Matrix.
Museum of Contemporary
Crafts, New York City, 1969. Created an interactive installation
in the Contemplation
Environments exhibition. It was a free-form, tensioned fabric
and acrylic environment in which people were totally “immersed.”
The guide and visitors' breathing, heart beats, and galvanic skin response
controlled all sound and lighting.
Island Gallery,
Camden Maine, 1977. Created a harborside gallery to market his photographic
works and granite sculpture.
The Image Bank,
New York City, 1978. Provided glamour and nature images to this
international stock agency. Robert was one of The Image Bank's early photographers.
Exploratorium,
San Francisco, 1980. Built and exhibited
Biosis
(biosignal imaging system) installation. It was both an artistic
and educational expression using glass, acrylic, and fiberoptic lighting
emulating multi-channel biofeedback. This was for use in the "special
needs" and "abled" communities. Biosis derived from his professional
work in the field of psychophysiology.
Joegh Bullock
Gallery, San Francisco, 1983. Exhibited selections from his East
Coast photographic collection of glamour, nature, and abstract images.
Private and Proprietary
Commercial Design and Development, 1983 - 2004. Created computer-based
psychophysiological and medical instrumentation for a wide range of
health needs.
Mendocino Cinema,
2004, the weekend of July 4th. Screened
Ocean's
Edge - Spirit's Journey.
Heron's Nest,
2004. Ocean's
Edge-Spirit's Journey screened throughout the evening on Vashon Island's
"First Friday" gallery tour event.
The Vashon Theater,
2004. Ocean's
Edge-Spirit's Journey opened an evening of films at Vashon Theater
on Friday of Thanksgiving weekend.
Film Expo 2005,
Vashon, WA. Screened
Ocean's
Edge-Spirit's Journey at this juried evening of films at Vashon Theater.
The Vashon Theater,
2006. Here
and Now: Vashon-Maury Island opened an evening of films.
Local Expo 2006,
Vashon, WA. Screened
Here
and Now: Vashon-Maury Island at this juried evening of films at Vashon
Theater.
MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTIONS
Burgess Theater,
Menlo Park, CA, 1997. In 1997 he created and performed in "Sweet
California," an African-inspired performance of original and traditional
music and dance, including his original ballet, "California Suite" at Burgess
Theater in Menlo Park, California. Robert has been creating original improvisational
music for more than four decades and had earlier founded DIAJ
for Bay Area drum circles and dancers in the early '90s.
Haven Media Studio,
Menlo Park, CA, 1998. Produced Pangaea:
Old World, New Visions, an album by DIAJ
(Drummers in a Jam) (on CD). Pangaea features Robert Bornn,
Laura Worth, and Ma Boukaka, the Congolese musician, entertainer, and teacher
with other San Francisco Bay Area musicians. The Pangaea album contains
original, African-Inspired, California-Grown
world music. The album
was released in 1998. Robert was the founding and artistic director
of DIAJ
(Drummers in a Jam) performing and recording group.
Hidden Villa,
Los Altos, CA, 2001, Independence Day. Robert created and performed
in "The
World Is You," an original, African-inspired music and dance performance
to celebrate World Human Rights.
SeaDrift Media
Studio, Caspar, CA, 2004. Created the movie,
Ocean's
Edge - Spirit's Journey, a nonviolent nature story from the Northern
California coast. It celebrates the lyrical, spiritual, and sensuous
sides of nature. Evocative African-inspired music: six original instrumental
ballads by Robert Bornn (on xylimba and standing drum) and Laura Worth
(on alto recorder). The music track for Ocean's Edge was recorded
at
Haven
Media Studio. Video and sound were edited at the Seadrift
Media Studio in Caspar, California. The movie was released in 2004.
Lights of the
Sound at Blue Heron Gallery, 2004. After moving to Vashon Island,
Robert and Laura collaborated with local artists to create a celebration
of positive dance and music. This evening of community included an
immersive light and sound installation by Robert, his film and music, dance,
performance art, Vashon Island's
Circle of Sound and music by Laura
and him as SoundMoments
Duo. Screened Ocean's
Edge-Spirit's Journey.
SeaDrift Media
Studio, Vashon Island, WA, 2005. Here
and Now: Vashon-Maury Island is the second movie in a series of
nonviolent nature art movies. This is an alternative, romantic view
of nature in an artistic, narrative-free, and nonviolent style. Filmed
throughout 2005, the film's enchanted naturalism touches each season on
Vashon-Maury Island in Washington. Evocative natural waterscapes
and landscapes on Quartermaster Harbor are set to a medley from the Discovery
Suite, Robert's improvisational piano works.
Custom
Images
Stock
Images
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