"Coffee, black, and a slice of cherry pie" by a.a.s.
Video (2005)

A waitress is about to close up, when a stranger appears. She takes his order. There is no other dialogue. The mood, however, is very tense. There is a sense that something is about to happen, or that something has passed between these two in the past. There are extreme close-ups of hands, cups etc. that add to the slightly dreamlike atmosphere. The style of dress and shooting suggest ‘noir’ films, or a very strange soap opera. The inspiration for the piece is a variety of scenes from the work of David Lynch, where nothing is actually happening, but the heightened atmosphere and subtext give everything a greater significance.

As well as this direct reference to film, there is an implied subversion of narrative, where a situation such as this would suggest that something was going to happen, that the characters would fall in love, kill each other or plan a heist. The lack of explicit storyline also encourages the audience to project their own interpretations onto the piece.

a.a.s. are based in Birmingham and have been collaborating with artists since 2001 to create works in a variety of media, including performance, video and installation. They have curated many group exhibitions such as We Are Relentless, Science Fiction Double Feature, and Brain Jelly, as well as had work in events in the Midlands, London, Greece and Taiwan. They also regularly publish their own catalogues and magazines.

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