Exploring Time and Memory Through Stop-Motion: Tess Martin’s Still Life with Woman, Tea and Letter
The evocative short film Still Life with Woman, Tea and Letter by filmmaker Tess Martin exemplifies the artistic potential of stop-motion animation. This unique creation will be showcased at the duo exhibition Where We Are at De Bouwput Gallery in Amsterdam from May 7 to May 10, 2025, alongside Laury Hooghuis’s Under Reconstruction. The exhibition promises to immerse viewers in contemplative explorations of time, memory, and identity.
The Narrative and Technique
Tess Martin’s Still Life with Woman, Tea and Letter unfolds over two minutes and fifteen seconds, intertwining two moments in time. In the present, a woman reads a letter at a table. Adjacent to her, a photograph acts as a portal to the past, depicting a young woman in a vintage kitchen. The interplay between these two timelines is crafted using traditional stop-motion techniques, including time-lapse, replacement animation, and pixilation. Remarkably, the film’s creation culminated in a nine-hour marathon shoot during which frames were captured every thirty seconds (Martin, 2025).
The stop-motion process itself is an artistic marvel. Martin filmed an actor performing in a vintage kitchen, then converted the footage into a series of printed photographs. These images became the props in the present-day table scene, where they were meticulously replaced frame by frame. Meanwhile, the movements of the second actor and props in the modern scene were directed with equal precision. This labor-intensive technique underscores the film’s exploration of the passage of time and its layered meanings.
Themes and Artistic Impact
The narrative of Still Life with Woman, Tea and Letter challenges viewers to contemplate the nature of time and reality. The film juxtaposes the rapid progression of the candle’s burn and shifting sunlight with the temporal stasis of the photograph’s subject. The woman in the photograph appears to live in “real time” yet remains confined within her frame, while the outer world’s timeline is distorted. This duality provokes reflection on how we experience the passage of time and our relationship with past and future selves.
As part of the exhibition Where We Are, Martin’s work engages in dialogue with Laury Hooghuis’s Under Reconstruction, a film that delves into inner experiences through a non-linear depiction of time. Together, these works invite visitors to reconsider their perceptions of memory, identity, and the fragmented experience of time in contemporary society.
Artistic Context and Exhibition Details
Tess Martin is renowned for her hand-crafted animation techniques and thematic focus on vulnerability, memory, and belonging. Her work has been featured in international galleries and festivals, including the Ann Arbor Film Festival and International Film Festival Rotterdam. Similarly, Hooghuis’s work is rooted in exploring consciousness and perception through a transcendental cinematic approach (Samara Speakers Agency, 2025).
The Where We Are exhibition offers a rare opportunity to experience Still Life with Woman, Tea and Letter as an installation. This format allows viewers to closely examine the intricate details of the animation and revisit its poignant reflection on time. The exhibition’s opening reception will take place on May 9, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at De Bouwput Gallery.
Conclusion
Through its innovative use of stop-motion techniques and exploration of time, Still Life with Woman, Tea and Letter exemplifies the power of animation to evoke deep emotional and intellectual responses. As part of Where We Are, the film situates itself within a broader artistic conversation about the rhythm of time and the nature of human experience, offering viewers a profound and memorable encounter.
References
Martin, T. (2025). Still Life with Woman, Tea and Letter. Retrieved from https://www.tessmartinart.com/still-life
Samara Speakers Agency. (2025). Dual Exhibition Laury Hooghuis & Tess Martin, “Where We Are”: at De Bouwput Gallery in Amsterdam from May 7. Press release.
