A finger traces lines in the sand that on a larger scale form a solar observatory in the Peruvian landscape. This short film explores the human fascination with observing the sun, and also reflects on the sense of sight. Eye Sun connects three sites of solar observation in Peru and three temporalities: Chankillo, considered the oldest solar observatory in the Americas; the Huancayo Observatory, active since 1922; and CIEASEST in Ica, where specific chemical elements present in the spectrum of sunlight are observed and analyzed.
Opening with a famous quote by Goethe, the film draws connections between the sun and the eye. Without the sun, we would not be able to see. At the same time, we can’t look directly at the sun with the naked eye without being blinded. The film explores this paradox through an experimental collage of footage of the sun, medical images of a human eye, 8mm films, photograms, and archival and contemporary photographs of observatories. Eye Sun takes us on an associative journey through richly textured images combined with sound that shifts from subtle to piercing.
Stills
