“The Trial of Harmony and Invention: Spring is a new landmark in Bay Area video work, not to be missed.” —Kenneth Baker, SF Gate, 2003

Trial of Harmony and Invention: Spring, an installation project for New Langton Arts, places viewers at the intersection of vanity and transgression, exploring fashion’s uncanny allure.

The work consists of two rear-screen projections and a large one-way mirror, forming a 3-sided structure. A third smaller rear-screen projection shines dimly through the one-way mirror from behind, mingling with the viewers’ reflections. Streams of text from a Harper’s Bazaar editorial entitled “The Rules of the Season” race around the walls, images of women and men float by, white kites dance against a black sky, and a sketch of a girl’s face quickly takes form.

The score for Spring, like that of its companion work, The Trial of Harmony and Invention: Winter (2001), layers 24 different performances of Vivaldi’s Spring concerto all of which end on the same note, thus the longest performance begins first.