Obsessed with the repeating geometry of nature, a sculptor works in the space between art and science.

Interview with Writer/Director Allison Bohl DeHart and Peter DeHart

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

The initial plan was to make a 10 - 20 minute short artist portrait on 92 year old Robert Wiggs, but as we studied his work and writings more, we realized that his story went deeper and needed to be made into a feature length.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

Wiggs has an extremely unique perspective of the natural world around him. Once you watch the film, you will look at nature differently and it will awaken a curiosity of discovery in you.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Wiggs was an artist who was able to take an obsession with a visual idea and turn it into something scientifically deep and productive, so the film deals with the theme of human purpose and a desire to look for deeper meaning in the world around us. And because we were able to film him near the end of life, the film deals with the frustration of an aging artist whose mental curiosity outlasts his physical abilities.

Bending Lines: The Sculpture of Robert Wiggs

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The initial plan was to film a day in the life of an artist. We filmed Robert and Betty Wiggs in their home for three days. Around a month after we filmed, Betty passed away and because he could barely see or hear, Robert had to be put into a nursing home. His artwork was moved into a storage unit where it lives currently. We attempted to continue to film Robert in the nursing home, but it wasn't cohesive with the film we had already started. Since his work had all been moved into storage, we were given easier access to his life's work by his sons.

Looking through his entirely of work is when our understanding of his message became more clear. We looked through around 5,000 of his photo slides, examined his sculptures, and read through his notebooks and publications. While in the nursing home, Robert’s health declined and he passed away as well. After his passing, we continued communications with his sons to complete the film. All in all the film took around 4 years to complete and it was a beautiful, but difficult journey.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

We have been told by filmmakers, sculptors and photographers how the film has moved them, but the film has also connected with scientists and mathematicians. Wiggs' work exists in this grey area between art, math and science so it has been interesting to us to meet people who exist and work in that space as well. We both have degrees in visual art so stepping into an interview with a brilliant, pure Mathematician like Norman W. Johnson was exciting but challenging for us.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

The crossover interest with math, science and art has lead us to be not so segmented about our thoughts on these disciplines. It has made us realize that scientific and unique discoveries can be made through any avenue if your mind is open enough for exploration.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

After premiering at Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, we are currently stepping into the Festival circuit so we are looking for any festival to showcase our film. We are also interested in showing at Art & Science conferences or Art Museums.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Film Festival directors would be very helpful to us, because they can offer screening opportunities to interested audiences. Distributors would be very helpful as well to show our film to a wider audience.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

To understand Wiggs’ work you have to sit still, listen and absorb. We think most of the people around him while he was alive thought he was too eccentric or crazy, but we think he wasn't given the right medium to explain his work. We feel like the film offers the right medium to conveys his ideas and we hope it inspires others to explore, think and wonder without and guaranteed outcome or particular motivation.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Are the end goals of an artist, scientist and mathematician the same or are they different?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

When we aren't making films together, we are also a married couple that is about one week from having our first child, so currently we are developing our skills as parents.

As far as creative projects, we have written a story that could translate well into a book and or animated short film, but we are not exactly sure which route to take. We are exploring that story and looking for interested parties to help fund the development and production.

Interview: April 2018

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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTIAQ+, scifi, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

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Bending Lines: The Sculpture of Robert Wiggs

Obsessed with the repeating geometry of nature, a sculptor works in the space between art and science.

Length :82 mins

Director: Allison Bohl DeHart and Peter DeHart

Producer: Lisa Osborn

Writer: Allison Bohl DeHart and Peter DeHart

About the writer, director and producer:

Louisiana filmmaker Allison Bohl DeHart explores intimacy and legacy, often turning her camera on aging, idiosyncratic figures. Allison won New Orleans Film Festival awards for her work on the short-form documentaries “I Always Do My Collars First” and “Raised on Rice and Gravy”, two films that find beauty in the ordinary folkways of south Louisiana. “Bending Lines: The Sculpture of Robert Wiggs” is Allison’s first feature length doc which was also co-directed by her husband Peter DeHart.

Peter DeHart has an intense and enterprising creativity, with an expansive portfolio in the fields of product design, illustration, graphic design, and music. Peter is a graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design and has produced music videos and concert documentaries that have been featured in Rolling Stone, Flood, and Paste Magazine

Key cast: Robert Wiggs, Betty Wiggs, Calvin Wiggs, Rusty Bernard, and Norman W. Johnson Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):
film festival directors and distributors

Social media handles:
Facebook: Facebook.com/bendinglinesfilm

Other: instagram.com/bendinglimesfilm.com

Funders: Makemade Films and Lisa Osborn

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? We have no screenings on the books that we can discuss yet, but you can go to bendinglinesfilm.com/screenings for upcoming updates.