M Filming Locations

M is a work of art that explores the relationship between sexuality and death. These two appear to be opposite forces, but in fact they merge in all of us, disguising the fear of death or the desire to die, the world of Eros and Thanatos. In M the character of Marilyn Monroe should be seen as a symbol of this interpenetration. The actress's death is as famous as her sexuality and thus sets a perfect example of how the ancient bond between sex and death is being forever mystified and exploited by the popular culture. M attempts to explore this phenomenon in a much more personal level. All the events in the work are fictional and they are set in no particular place or time. The work consists of film material that has been produced on and off in a time period of four years, beginning in March 2013 to December 2017. The footage was shot mainly in the home and grounds of Casa das Musas Art House in Nazare, Portugal. Other shooting locations were Litibu village in Mexico and Uusikaupunki, Finland. All the actors in the work are non-professionals and were chosen because of their strong essence and character. Although the work is based on a script the roles and events were adjusted to fit the actors presence, and all of the dialogue was acted by the artist herself as voiceover. At times the process of filming was on the verge of improvisation and therefore only the afterwork would fully determine how some of the scenes developed. This way of working turned out to be a crucial element of the work. M is not an attempt to tell a story or redefine a character. In fact it is quite the opposite. The elements of film are being used as pathways for the artist to move in and out of the characters, each character representing somewhat a side of the artists own fantasy. By placing herself in the part of an object of fantasy the artist strives to understand the unity of sex and death, not merely as a myth in popular culture, but as an integral part of humanity.