In 1979, shortly after Deborah Koff-Chapin and Mark Sadan filmed artist Jerry Wennstrom's collection of paintings and sculpture in his Nyack, NY loft (a 15-minute sequence that is appended to this half-hour portrait), Wennstrom acted upon a divine impulse and destroyed everything he had created. In the Hands of Alchemy explores Wennstrom's life journey in the ensuing twenty years, following his pilgrim's progress from Nyack to Whidbey Island, Washington, where he would live simply--trusting in God to provide--and produce “no art” works constructed from found objects (including a “meditation tower,” visited onscreen here by Tibetan monks, who react to the humorous aspects of Wennstrom's interactive creations). Comments from his wife and friends, as well as the artist's own observations round out Phil Lucas and Mark Sadan's offbeat spiritual portrait of a man who marches to a different drummer. Recommended for general collections with strong New Age holdings, this is optional elsewhere. Aud: P. (J. Reed)
In the Hands of Alchemy
(2001) 47 min. $19.95 ($49.95 w/PPR). Parabola Video. Color cover. ISBN: 0-930407-54-7. Volume 17, Issue 1
In the Hands of Alchemy
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