. : Flying Solo

Two films by Odile Fillion will be shown February 10th at 6:30 pm in Wood Auditorium Avery Hall, "Parallel Architectures Instant City- Peter Cook-" (By Maurice Benayoun and Odile Fillion-2001, Production Amc Films) and "Flying Solo Alex MacLean, aerial photographer" (By Odile Fillion 2002, Production Mirage Illimit)

Alex MacLean's photographic observations have established new keys to understanding the American landscape and raised awareness of the eventually dramatic consequences of our present society's patterns of development. Alex MacLean is involved in many community programs, working mainly with American universities, urban planning departments, and design associations. His active engagement as well as his artistic abilities have given Alex MacLean a prominent place in international exhibitions dedicated to the examination of contemporary urban changes. (“Mutations” Bordeaux ,France 2000 – “From Above: Photographs of Houston ” the Menil Collection in Houston ,TX in 2000.)

“Flying Solo" is the title of a 52-minute video program focusing on the artist. The film depicts the life of Alex MacLean at work flying his plane and taking pictures at the same time. Part of the film is inside Alex MacLean’s plane as he travels from Kansas City to Boston.

The film includes many different perspectives on Alex MacLean’s work. During the course of the film he meets with several design professionals such as architects Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, landscape architects James Corner and Julie Campoli, and urban planners Daniel Serda of the Kansas City Design Center , Anne Whiston Spirn of MIT. Different perspectives are also provided by interviews with art gallery directors Yancey Richardson and Tony Decaneas, and with Alex’s airplane mechanic Mike Dupont.

Odile Fillion

Director and architectural critic, Odile Fillion questions the relationship between architecture and technologies. She initiated the “Transarchitectures “ exhibitions, and regularly writes for D’A, Cree, Le Monde Interactif. She directed films on Jean Prouvé (le Pavillon de l’Aluminium), the Paperless Studio at Columbia, Jean Nouvel , Marc Mimram (La Passerelle Solferino), Christian de Portzamparc ( Cité de la Musique) , l’Oulipo,…

With support from the American Center Foundation and French Ministry of Culture/ Direction de l'Architecture