Institute of Art and Film Studies
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New Wave Productions
New Wave Productions is an arts and education non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation of foreign and independent films and the belief that the visual arts are powerful educational tools for students of all ages.
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What We Do
La Cinémathèque Film Club
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Art & Painting
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Artists Mikel Frank and Gerard Amsellem met in 2010 at the grand opening of GAS Gallery and Studio in Maplewood, NJ, and decided to collaborate together soon after. They established a deep bond as a result of philosophical discussions about death, specifically the passing of loved ones. Gerard had lost his brother to cancer and Mikel had lost his father to the same horrible disease.
During the course of their collaboration, they have created many works, notable among which is “The Passing.” This painting was their first large scale public “performance” painting, measuring 15 feet wide by 7.5 feet high. It was created in one day at GAS Gallery and Studio on April 23, 2011. The Visual Passion Duo have painted and performed together since 2011.
Besides his work with Visual Passion, Gerard is always hard at work at new paintings, collages, and three-dimensional pieces. Here are a few photos from his studio of works in progress.
This show is an expression of the void in Gerard’s life after the passing of his brother, entitled J’écris, je crie, I Write, I Scream.
Gerard created three canvases inspired by his brother’s creativity, presence, and absence, along with written work about his feelings of grief. Alongside these, he also displayed some of Alain’s work. This exhibit was Gerard’s scream, expressing his difficulty with accepting his brother’s absence.
This year I chose to show the paintings I did before and after his death. In my eulogy of him I said that I would represent the continuation of his creativity and his contribution to the world. The first 13 paintings were created while he was still alive when we discussed having a show together, the last 7 are works that I produced after his death. The impact of his absence on my paintings, my grief and pain are in my paintings.
To my brother, to his paintings, to my family, to creation and endlessness.
In this show I take one group of his work of seven stars because seven is his number and his birth date. I offer seven of my stars based on our world, his absence, what he left and what I will continue without him.
Paintings and 3-D artwork from 2005-2010. Prints and originals available for purchase, email with inquiry.
Film Production
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Bernard Réquichot is a painter known by few outside of France, despite his striking and emotional art. His work has long been a source of inspiration and awe for Gerard Amsellem. Currently, Gerard is engaged in creating a documentary on this unique artist, his work, his life, and his death.
Based on Herman Melville's short story, "Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street", Gerard Amsellem's short film Bartleby tells the story of a man who, quite simply, "would prefer not to". His small act of defiance upsets the delicate balance in the quiet office in which he works.
Released on January 30, 2013, the film has since received numerous accolades. Bartleby was awarded a Director's Citation by the Black Maria Film Festival and made an Official Selection of the Garden State Film Festival, the Twin Rivers Film Festival in Asheville, NC, and the SOMA Film Festival.
After the sudden death of his older brother, a straight-laced teacher turns his life upside down and embarks on an urgent journey to validate his brother's life and, ultimately, his own.
As humans, we explore, research, make technical and scientific discoveries for a better life in a better world. But when we speak about subjects like love and death, we know so little. Why? Are these subjects taboo? Are emotions too private? Can we share our intimate thoughts on these matters? What is love? What can we do to progress in our understanding of life?
