Pallets – A Film About Making Art

About The CLIP

The above is a segment of an upcoming short film entitled “Pallets,” documenting the creation of a piece of abstract art on wood. The clip demonstrates “shou sugi ban,” a Japanese technique for treating wood originating in the 18th century. The process chars the wood a deep charcoal-black, bringing the patterns of the grain into stark relief. Other scenes document the artist foraging discarded pallet wood, cutting the planks into segments, arranging the cut-outs into a geometric mandala, and then painting the surface in an Abstract Expressionist style. Throughout the process, the artist reflects on the spiritual value of bringing order and symmetry to unwanted materials and how these simple acts of creation have helped him overcome addiction and maintain sobriety. For more information about the artist, visit www.matthewchristiangavris.com