A series of meticulous and inventively made moving paintings. With minimal ingredients such as a hand, a glass of water, a sheet of paper and a single colour of watercolour paint, many (funny) variations are conceived on making a drawing or a painting. The way in which the work comes about seems more important than the result. In all, the film is made up of sixteen of these visual variations. Each variation comprises a single shot several minutes in length.The artist and film-maker Sarkis made this film in co-operation with a group of students during a working stay in the Le Fresnoy cultural centre. The students were encouraged to add as much variation as possible in their work with the same minimal means.Despite the conscious restriction, in an ironic way the film touches on grand mythical themes in which water and fire play a role without the film becoming too heavy. In fact Au commencement does not so much record the making ofwatercolours, as film the actions of painting in time. The visualisations are often too fleeting to exist outside the film. For instance, a brush with paint leaves a beautiful moving trace of colour in the water that disappears in a few moments, but is captured on film. The simplicity of the actions makes them akin to rituals. Action for the sake of action.
