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In 2019 Viceland began airing a remastering of the cult TV show The X Files. On at the PG time of 7:30 and then pushed back to the original 8:30pm timeslot, its horror has paled since its first airing in the 90s when it was filmed. In the golden age of television, the artist found themself re-watching episodes of X Files every night after dinner. The burden of choice was removed by watching just this one program, dodging the ‘show-verload’ of options presented by competing streaming services. The show that spooked Walker-Keefe when they were a kid had now become a part of their daily routine, the characters an extension of their person.
For this work Walker-Keefe has remade the iconic intro theme of The X Files scene-for-scene using painting and DIY props captured with video and stop-motion animation. Utilising digital and analogue collage, the artist inserts their face into the film as a proxy for the actors. Accompanying the film is a vocal recording of the theme song, Walker-Keefe’s voice simulating orchestral strings, complete with the familiar whistle melody. The resulting humorous work dances between high and low fidelity and invites contemplation upon television, streaming services, practical effects, reproduction and fandom.
See more of Penny Walker-Keefe’s work on Instagram and YouTube