Mother - An Abstract Documentary Portrait

Based on my original illustrations + Gen-AI animation.

A glimpse into fragments of a project in the making. (Voice and soundtrack are muted for now).

This project has no specific deadline. A year ago, I started exploring the character of my late mother. My mom was a dreamer in an era where women were not allowed to dream. She was unable to live by her imagination, and if I am honest, her life was quite tragic. This is how I remember her. However, as time goes by, I am starting to recall other parts of the narrative. I see glimpses of joyful moments, creative fulfillment, and anecdotes from her younger, more optimistic years. I am sharing here some sporadic fragments from the project.

I am creating a documentary that explores her life through a double lens. One is the tragic narrative I remember. The other is where I research and expand upon small anecdotes to create a story that is not necessarily factual. I have no intention of using Gen AI to recreate her. Instead, I use it as a set of tools that enables me to mix mediums and build a story out of abstract pieces. I use my voice to speak the words she wrote, and I use my face as a vehicle to animate a portrait I illustrated in a traditional way.

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