2011 / 11min / color / live video, audio / USA

Dir: Theo Lipfert Starring: Kent Davis

“Galileo, One Night Only” is a visual and aural montage constructed from the (fictional) experiences of Montana actor Kent Davis, appearing as himself, as he prepares a performance exploring the life of Galileo Galilei, the father of modern science. Davis works a “day job” as a professional medical guinea pig. He enrolls as a human subject to test medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and therapies. During the preparation for his role as Galileo, Davis tests a wearable camera designed to help Alzheimer’s patients remember the events and interactions of their daily lives. To gauge the device’s efficacy, Davis has been administered a drug that induces a temporary memory loss. As he travels through different physical environments, Davis reflects on the sacrifices and compromises he has made to pursue his art, and unwittingly creates a contemporary analog to the experiences of the Sixteenth-century astronomer.

Sept 2011Kyma International Sound Symposium, Porto Portugal