MTV Ultra
Video, 2025
About the artwork
In these works, the narrative is not a starting point; it’s a discovery.
The story and dialogue do not exist until the pieces are being constructed. It is in this act of making that the narrative is found. I compare this to shooting an unscripted film: an actor improvises, and that moment changes the entire trajectory of the scene. These pieces are built from those moments.
These 13 videos are the first works from this new practice, distilled from a larger body of experiments. They are the essence of this new direction, and while each stands alone, there is a larger narrative that will continue to develop.
Audio explanation
Listen to Frank Manzano discuss this work.
Frank Manzano, based in Chicago, is an artist focusing on abstract and conceptual digital compositions, with formal training in film and photography from Columbia College. His work delves into the exploration of shared societal symbols and aims to unravel the individual connections people forge with these symbols.
Manzano embraces the idea that moments of revelation can arise from idleness and boredom, a belief he consistently incorporates into his creative process. His artistic ambition centers around deciphering the symbols that define our culture, using contemporary digital mediums to articulate these foundational emblems. Through his artwork, Frank Manzano seeks to inspire viewers to embark on introspective journeys, encouraging them to scrutinize their personal relationships with the symbols that shape their existence.