see my personal blog and gallery
David S. Kessler is a sculptor and painter as well as a film and video maker. He is best known for directing the 26 part experimental documentary‚ Shadow World, in intimate exploration of the world under the Philadelphia el tracks. His sculpture work consists mainly of labor intensive cast silicone pieces.
Recent exhibitions and screenings:
April ‘09 – Room Forty-five – solo sculpture exhibition, Philadelphia PA
Mar ‘08 – Philadelphia International House, Shadow World installation
Mar ‘08 – Bryn Mawr Film Institute – screening ‘If You Beak the Skin You Must Come In’ – feature documentary – Director
Mar ‘08 – Wilma Theater, Philadelphia PA – set design collaboration with Steven Earl Weber and video production for Ballet X – ‘Right to Spring’
Dec ‘07- Bambi Gallery, Philadelphia PA – videos, painting and installation ‘Shadow World’
Nov ‘07 – First Person Arts Festival – screening ‘If You Beak the Skin You Must Come In’ -feature documentary ‚Director, Editor, DP
Nov -07 – First Person Arts Festival – winner of Five Day Doc film competition ‘Anya and Her Spyglass’ – Co-Director
Sept. ‘07 – Kelly Writer’s House, Philadelphia PA ‚selected Shadow World episodes
Recent Credits:
Studioscopic – weekly internet documentary series, Creator, Director, Curator, Editor – self-produced
Shadow World – 26 part experimental documentary series, Creator, Director, Editor – self produced
Look! It’s Libby and Roberta – art criticism series for Artblog, Director, Editor
If You Break the Skin You Must Come In – Director, DP, Instructor, Editor -produced by Institute of Contemporary Art, Big Picture Alliance
Bookmaking at Evangelical Manor – Director, DP, Editor – produced by Art-Reach and Esther Klein Gallery
Without Furlough – short narrative, Director, Editor, Puppet Maker, Set & Art Designer, produced by Media Bureau Networks
Academic:
Montclair State University – Montclair, NJ: BFA, Cum Laude, painting mjr., film mnr.
Constantijn Hygens Christelijke Hogeschool voor de Kunsten‚ Kampen, Netherlands; semester
University of the Arts ‚Philadelphia, Pa; 1 year, illustration & fine art
Parsons School of Design ‚New York, NY; 2 years, illustration
Recent Press:
Philadelphia Weekly, cover story ‚Oct, 2007 ‚’On the Right Track’ by Cassidy Hartmann
Philadelphia Inquirer ‚Aug 09, 2007 – ‘Beneath the El, dark video veriti’ by Dan Rubin
Metro – AUG 7, 2007 – ‘Kensington, from safety of home’ by Josh Cornfield
David S. Kessler – demo reel 2008 from David S Kessler on Vimeo.
