Silent Movies

Two pumpkins.

A boy sits alone in his room, but he hears a noise. What is this noise, who is making it?

A woman goes to a cold and inhospitable abandoned cove to try to summon the spirit of her only son, who passed away during the war.

Two women find companionship in emptiness.

Two women gardening on a sunny day.

A young woman wakes up to a new morning.

In search of something, a woman goes on a fantastic exploration of her house.

Short silent animated film

What happens to art when it loses its artist?

Elam films her close friend, Chuck Kleinhans.

“Tai Chi II,” similarly to Elam’s “Tai Chi Bowling” and “Tai Chi,” focuses on movement. Through a sequence...

JoAnn Elam plants collards.

Filmed during the 52nd National Convention of the American National Association of Letter Carriers in August 1980.

Cleaning supplies and flames.

A visual metaphor for creative process as a sustained state of flux, whereby the deconstruction and reconfiguration of source material manifest...

A boy explains the various steps to making a bowl of cereal in a hilarious Charlie Chaplin-inspired scatter.

A teenager turns to filming their family after the loss of their mother.

Chicago streets.

Two girls spend the evening together. You'll never believe what happens next!

An outdoor gathering.