Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

Stan Brakhage (1958)

Childbirth is one of the most beautiful things that every happens in life. In involves bringing a miracle into the world as well as molding together new relationships between parents and their children. When given the rare experience of watching childbirth, the viewer must be grateful. It is not a normal occasion to witness. Stan Brakhage's Window Water Baby Moving is a beautiful experience. It shows the momentous occasion of his first child being born through his own eyes. He finds many things fascinating, such as a window, the water, his wife's stomach, and the baby coming into the world.

Brakhage is known for his experimental films that pushed the film barrier once more. His film Moth-light was bits and pieces of moths, grass, and multiple other things that moths might see in their life time. No other artist decided to put wings of a moth onto a film strip and call it art. Brakhage was an artist who saw the world through different eyes but still made sure to tell a story. Other films, such as The Dante Quartet, were able to show beauty in different ways as well. This film was an explosion of vivid colors that was extremely pleasing to the eyes of the viewers. It involved a depiction of "Hell Itself" which was very chaotic and filled with many colors.

These are all Avant-Garde pieces. They push the boundaries that were placed before them. Brakhage sees the world in a completely different way than most other people do. He was adventurous in his filming as well as his editing. He is one of the best editors of all time and others use him as inspiration.

With his film Window Water Baby Moving, he is able to show everything on his mind during the birth of his first child. This was an at-home birth. It seemed as if Brakhage's mind was wandering when there were shots of the window and the water. But this was a beautiful portrait of his wife. She looked beautiful and the intimacy between the couple was translated through the medium of film. The audience was hooked. Even when images and scenes started to repeat themselves, the viewer was still hooked on the story. The editing style makes it so that the emotions are heightened throughout the piece. The climax of the baby finally making its way out and the happiness on Stan's face are amazing. The audience is elated and uplifted with the joy that they can share with Stan. This is what makes the film so special. We are a part of the film. We contribute to the emotion.

It is just seeing-it is a very simple word-and to be a visionary is to be a seer. The problem is that most people can't see.

Stan Brakhage was a seer who could see.