Life Before (No. 3) Crystal Zapata & Will Miller
04/08/20
by Crystal Zapata & Will Miller
Life Before (No. 3) is a short-film by Crystal Zapata with music by Will Miller (Resavoir).
Crystal Zapata is a graphic designer and artist based in Chicago. With an interest in material, objects, and image-making she utilizes a diverse array of disciplines to approach her design practice. Her visual approach in Life Before (No. 3) oscillates between stillness and motion—singular frames tethered together, treated with a rich halftone texture—individual spirits connected to a larger whole.
The short-film is paired with music by Will Miller, the polymath behind International Anthem group, Resavoir. The soundscape and moving-image immediately transport us to a familiar past—though one now nostalgia-laden. A delicate reminder of both where we were, but ultimately where we can go.
Life Before (Tape-Zine) is a multimedia zine working with artists, musicians, designers—and all who straddle these lines and classifications—to contribute new work compiled into monthly issues. Focused on supporting experimentation in all its forms, Life Before encourages artists to collaborate, explore, and push the boundaries of their current practices.
Beyond an archival series, Life Before is a space for reflection, experimentation, and exploration in audio, visual, performance, and writing. The volatile and asynchronous nature of our time warrants an equal response. Think of Life Before as a series of hybrid-works—less tethered as a response to the current global crisis, but certainly catalyzed in the cloud of this pandemic.
Life Before (Tape-Zine) is a project created by Jeremiah Chiu with support from Quarantine Times.
Crystal Zapata & Will Miller worked on this piece with Jeremiah Chiu, the Quarantine Times Wednesday editor. Each week, Jeremiah selects a Chicagoan to share a commissioned creative response to the pandemic.
