Hunting Island

Late in 2020, as the pandemic raged, Matthew Shelton escaped his home in Chicago for three weeks and visited South Carolina’s low-country coastal area near Beaufort. This was a uniquely personal experience, as the artist had lived near this area in childhood and had rarely returned. Multiple visits were made to Hunting Island State Park, a place more renowned for its wild forests and dramatically shifting coastline than its beaches. 

Stairways that once led to the beach are buried now, with occasional traces showing up through the sand. Cabins that were fully functional 30 years ago are now ruins, and roads that were once deep in the island’s forests are now eroding into the sands. This place was a hideaway for Shelton during his teenage years, but to find himself there again, under such different circumstances, was a deeply inspiring and emotional experience. 

The filmmaker utilizes hundreds of photographs of every fascinating detail: sand patterns, prehistoric-looking forests, and views of the haunting “boneyard” of dead trees standing on the ever-shifting beach. The artist implements his own animation technique, exploring the abstract space between images and creating a mystifying and dreamlike experience that is a combination of natural beauty and painterly surrealism. The film is accompanied by a live score improvised by musicians, including Shelton, cellist Nora Barton, and guitarist Stephen Patota.

Artists: Nora Barton, Stephen Patota, Matthew Shelton

Screenings:
October 18 7:30–9pm
October 19 4–5:30pm & 8–9:30pm
October 20 4–5:30pm & 7:30–9pm