2013 - 2022
Written and Directed by Alison O'Daniel based on musical scores by Christine Sun Kim, Steve Roden, and Ethan Frederick Greene. Starring Nyeisha "Nyke" Prince, Russell Harvard, Geovanny Marroquin and Warren "Wawa" Snipe. Produced by Alison O’Daniel and Rachel Nederveld. Co-produced by Su Kim, Maya E. Rudolph for Louverture, Eliza Moley. Executive Produced by Wendy Ettinger, Maida Lynn. Consulting Producer Alysa Nahmias. Cinematography by Derek Howard, Meena Singh and Judy Phu. Edited by Zack Khalil and Alison O’Daniel. Sound Design by Alison O’Daniel and Maria Alejandra Rojas and Arturo Salazar for Splendor Omnia.
In early November of 2011 tubas were stolen from a high school in Los Angeles. About a week later, tubas were stolen from a different high school. A month passed and tubas were stolen from yet another high school. This continued: twelve schools in Southern California had their tubas stolen between 2011 and 2013. When reporters told the story, they focused on the thieves and asked the same questions: Who is doing this? Why? What is happening to the tubas? They did not seem curious about what a marching band sounds like without the lowest sound. They did not wonder what the tuba players were now doing in class. No one asked what happens when sound is stolen or lost, owned or delegated.
The Tuba Thieves starts from these questions. It is a film about listening, but it is not tethered to the ear. It is a film about Deaf gain, hearing loss and the perception of sound in Los Angeles - by animals, plants and humans. The human protagonist of the film is Nyke Prince, a Deaf woman whose story runs parallel to Geovanny Marroquin's. Geovanny was the drum major at Centennial HS when their tubas were stolen. Their stories are connected by the omnipresence of noise pollution. The audience is the third protagonist - their experience making sense of the film is the film. From 2013 - 2018, scenes from the film were produced and exhibited internationally at film festivals, museums, and galleries. The full feature will debut at Sundance in January, 2023.
I FELT PEOPLE DANCING
KUNSTHALLE OSNABRÜCK, OSNABRÜCK, GERMANY JUNE 26 - OCTOBER 3, 2021
Curated by Juliane Schickedanz and Anna Jehle. Photos by Lucie Marsmann
HEAVY AIR
BEMIS CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS, OMAHA, NE APRIL 4 - JUNE 15, 2019
Curated by Rachel Adams. Photos by Colin Conces
MADE IN L.A.
THE HAMMER MUSEUM, LOS ANGELES, JUNE 2 - SEPTEMBER 3, 2018
Curated by Anne Ellegood and Erin Christovale. Photos by Braden Hollis
Say the Word “NOWHERE.” Say “HEADPHONES.” Say “NOTHING.”
SHULAMIT NAZARIAN, Los Angeles July 21 - August 25, 2018
Curated by Seth Curcio. Photos by Michael Underwood
THE INFINITE EAR
GARAGE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART, MOSCOW, RUSSIA June 8 - Sep 2, 2018
CENTRO CENTRO, MADRID, SPAIN October 25, 2019 - January 12 2020
Curated by Sandra Terdjman and Gregory Castera of Council, Paris
Artists: Tarek Atoui, Alison O’Daniel, Lendl Barcelos, Valentina Desideri, Catalina Insignares, Soledad Gutiérrez and Myriam Lefkowitz
ROOM TONE
ART IN GENERAL, NEW YORK March 26 - May 8, 2016
Art in General New Commission presented in collaboration with the Knockdown Center
Curated by Courtenay Finn, Kristen Chappa, Anne Barlow. Photos by Charles Benton.
ALL COMPONENT PARTS (LISTENERS)
CENTRE D’ART PASSERELLE, BREST, FRANCE September 26, 2015 - January 2, 2016
Curated by Etienne Bernard. Photos by Aurelian Mole.
CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND FORWARDS, BACKWARDS, PAUSE, SILENT
January 28, 2016 LOS ANGELES
Performance developed in collaboration with the Centennial High School Marching band, band director Manuel Castaneda and Alison O’Daniel.
Organized by JOAN in conjunction with Art Los Angeles Contemporary for the opening night performance. Photos by Gina Clyne.
QUASI CLOSED CAPTIONS
SAMUEL FREEMAN, LOS ANGELES July 20 - August 17, 2013
Curated by Amy Thoner
NIGHT SKY
75 min color sound
Premiered at the ANTHOLOGY FILM ARCHIVES in PERFORMA 11, November 21 & 22, 2011
Presented with live accompaniment (music or American Sign Language)
Produced by Jules Dameron | Cinematography by Tom Clancey | Score by Ethan Frederick Greene | ASL Score by Lisa Reynolds | Starring Evelina Gaina, Jay Mandell