Angel1967

In its simple succession of shots, Angel is evocative of a charged moment of heightened awareness, in which, suddenly, everywhere one looks there seems to be a sense of perfection. Like these moments, Angel seems peaceful on the surface, and slightly tense or sad at the same time, as one becomes aware that the moment cannot last. (Cornell seems to have made a life out of not only capturing these moments, but attempting to sustain them, and often evoking in his art the sadness of his failure to do so.) The pool underneath the fountain, beautifully filmed by Burckhardt, is a quintessential Cornell image. In the water we can see reflections of the fountain, trees, clouds, and the rich blue of the sky. The upside-down fountain is another example of Cornell's penchant for the backward image in his films. At one point, the camera slowly pans across the pool and comes to rest with the reflection of the sun at the very edge of the water. Looking down to see the sun: a most Cornellian thing to do. –Andy Ditzler Made in collaboration with Joseph Cornell.