This project consists of a short narrative film, video installation, book and series of prints.

DAVID+JONATHAN

2006, Video, 15 minutes Directed by Jan Wandrag

 

David+Jonathan is a non-straight street photography project. It tells an archetypal story of tragic love, inspired by Biblical references, and explores the power of 'The Father' to destroy love and life.

 

 

 

 

David+Jonathan is set in modern day New York. After David defeats Goliath the King takes an interest in him. David quickly develops a relationship with Jonathan the King's son. When the King finds out about their relationship he forbids Jonathan to ever see David again. David and Jonathan secretly meet one last time.

 

The Bible Tells Me So ... The inspiration for this project is the story of David and Jonathan as found in the Books of Samuel. I've known this story of 'brotherly love' as long as I can remember. It is often presented in church teaching as an example of true friendship. In my mind (as suggested in the Bible) David and Jonathan did truly love each other, and were involved in a relationship beyond friendship. When the King (Jonathan's father) becomes jealous of David, he tries to kill him; David flees Israel never to see Jonathan again. Jonathan and the King die shortly thereafter, and David goes on to become King David.

 

The Visual Building Blocks of the project are a series of still photographs that have undergone considerable manipulation. The images began as video shot on the street, in public spaces around the world, of young men who are unaware of the camera. I chose poses or faces from the footage that would fit into the scene I was about to create. I then transferred selected frames (portraits) from video to my computer. Next, in Photoshop I composed fictional scenes from these images found in 'reality,' by placing the found 'actors' into new locations. A visually distressed texture for the final images was achieved through a re-photographing process.

 

 

SCREENINGS OF DAVID+JONATHAN

 

Los Angeles: Outfest 2007: the 25th Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

 

Durham: North Carolina Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

 

Berlin, Germany: Rencontres Internationales 2007

 

Madrid, Spain: Rencontres Internationales 2007

 

Miami: Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival

 

Paris, France: Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin

 

Washington, DC: 17th Annual Jewish Film Festival

 

New York: NewFest Local Shorts Showcase at the IFC Center

 

Philadelphia: The 2006 SPE-MA Conference

 

Chicago: 25th Annual REELING 2006 Festival

 

Dallas: 8th Annual OUT TAKES Festival

 

New York: NewFest 2006: The 18th New York LGBT Film Festival

 

New York: Re:Vision, Walter Reade Theater, Lincoln Center

 

 

 

 

 

IMAGES OF DAVID+JONATHAN

Gallery show of stills from the projects have been exhibited at:

 

Peter Hay Halpert Fine Art, New York

 

Miami Beach Cinematheque, Miami

 

Beyond Glamour, Lumas, Berlin/Hamburg/Munich, Germany

 

 

REVIEWS

 

New York Blade: Bible Study

NY Arts Magazine: Beyond Glamour—Melancholy Behind the Glitter

 

 

 

 

Copyright Jan Wandrag, © 2015. All rights reserved.