HAMILTON, ON.- Experimental filmmaker Tyler Tekatch has released his documentary, The Making of Terrors of the Breakfast Table, about the conceptual thinking and use of technology behind the interactive video installation that is currently captivating viewers at the Art Gallery of Hamilton.

In the gallery, the viewer’s breath causes changes to the visuals and sounds, pushing the boundaries of new technology as it enhances the video, which is a confounding exploration of life and death. The visitor approaches a table and chair in the centre of the space, and blows into a sculptural device on the table. Subtle technologies sense the viewer’s breath, triggering thought-provoking interactive elements, such as a dream montage, the pace of a scene, the ambient sound, and the brightness of the visuals. Viewers discover the interactions at their own pace.

Curated by Melissa Bennett, AGH Curator of Contemporary Art, Terrors of the Breakfast Table is an emotionally engaging video that tells a story of a boy on a contemplative journey about life and death. Heavily symbolic, it unfolds in an impressionistic way, with interludes of brilliant photography and atmospheric sound. The story is also a dreamscape, as the boy weaves in and out of consciousness, visualizing memories, familiar landscapes, and symbolic environments.

The piece ruminates on the elusiveness of the mind and body, and the functions of the body—such as breathing—that seem to be invisible.

As a contribution to the medium of interactive digital media, Terrors of the Breakfast Table prioritizes conceptual content, the psychological experience of the viewer, and the natural presence of the viewer’s breathing body. The work of Tyler Tekatch is also positioned within global experimental film practices. Using non-linear narrative and a collaged aesthetic approach, his moving image works are visceral and evocative.

Terrors of the Breakfast Table is Tekatch’s first interactive digital media piece. Commissioned by the Art Gallery of Hamilton, this project was made possible with the support of the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and the Museums and Technology Fund.

Tyler Tekatch (b. 1982) is a Hamilton, Ontario based filmmaker and artist. He completed a Master of Arts with high distinction at Ryerson University and York University, in Communication and Culture, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Ryerson University in Image Arts.

Terrors of the Breakfast Table was created with the assistance of Kyle Duffield, interactive programmer, and Joseph Browne, sound designer, and many others.