On Taphonomy

One might not expect a short documentary about the life and work of a palaeontologist Johannes Weigelt, who pioneered the study of the fossilisation process in the 1920s, to be especially pulsating. Indeed, the title of Ana Maria Gomez Lopez’s On Taphonomy – which refers to the process by which living organisms transition into the earth – arguably suggests the opposite. Still, through an interesting tripartite visual language, some impressive sound design from Mayvand Kasem Dad, and a fascinating act of cinematic archaeology, this unconventional diminutive biopic feels nothing less than vital.

The latter part of that verve comes in the form of a box of artefacts, uncovered in the archives of The Geiseltalmuseum, which was founded by Weigelt in 1934. Inside the box are various snapshots and documents that prove Weigelt’s quite significant affiliation with Hermann Goring and the Nazis during WWII. This is material enough to inspire a compelling character study but amongst these damning documents were a series of more than forty Dada-esque photomontages – a subversive artform often adopted by opponents of the regime – which Weigelt, it is presumed, created at around the same time. It’s a surreal twist, difficult to quite wrap your head around.

Prior to this revelation, the film takes a slightly more traditional biographical approach, detailing its subject’s scouring of landscapes in the Americas and Europe for decomposing animal corpses. However, even this is presented primarily through an evolving triptych of images, like a multiscreen installation, which constantly cycles through stills, text, and occasionally video. In some instances, the three images work in concert and in others, they are used to juxtapose. Regularly one or two images will vanish, and narrative text will appear in their spaces instead. It allows the visuals – and the sound, which is equally used either as audio support or aural counterpoint – to at least approximate the unexpected complexities of the man. Even more acutely, it allows On Taphonomy to adopt some of Weigelt’s own methods, employing cinematic excavation and playful audio-visual montage to make its own discoveries.

Director, cinematography, producer: Ana Maria Gomez Lopez
Editing: Sasha Donkan
Sound: Mayvand Kasem Dad
Venue: DOK Leipzig (Competition for the Audience Award Short Film)
No dialogue, text in English
9 minutes