Focus on Willingdon Beach trail
International filmmaker explores nature
Claudia Medina-Culos has spent a lot of hours on the Willingdon Beach trail lately. Most times she's carrying a camera and has someone with her, someone she's been interviewing for a multimedia art exhibit set to air this month.
The exhibit, Nature Inside and Out, is scheduled to take place July 2, 3 and 4 at Venue 76 Gallery, 6776 Cranberry Street with the opening reception at Kat's Meow Café (next door) on July 2 from 6-9 pm.
Medina-Culos is an international filmmaker. She grew up in Powell River but now lives in Barcelona where she is completing a masters in Visual Culture and working on a couple of films.
A couple of months ago Medina-Culos returned to Powell River to spend time with her family, Sara Medina and Tony Culos, and catch up on editing a film she's been working on. "The Willingdon Beach ideas was already percolating before I came home," she told Powell River Living Magazine.
Nature Inside and Out explores people's relationship with the natural world. "The Willingdon Beach trail serves as a microcosm for this exploration as it can be seen as the ecological heart of the community," she explains.
Twenty-five people have been interviewed on the trail. You'll hear their comments and see their images at the exhibit. "Some people I knew, some have been here a long time, others, a short time. We sit on the same bench and we have this conversation. We talk about what nature means to them, when they feel connected and when the feel disconnected to nature. It's always an enlightening discussion."
Medina-Culos wanted to create this art exhibit using Willingdon Beach trail because of the role the trail plays in the community. "It connects the old and the new town, its accessible and everyone knows about it. There's been drama around the trail, and battles to protect it. There's the First Nations element with middens and culturally modified trees."
Medina-Culos has worked with many respected Canadian filmmakers and has received awards from the Canada Council of the Arts for short dramatic films she has written, produced and directed.
Don't miss the opening on July 2 from 6-9 pm or drop by on July 3 or 4 from 11 am to 5 pm at 6762 Cranberry Street. For more info call 604 414-4263 or email claudiamedina@enmedia.ca.
