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Uisce Beatha: A Mulholland Bestiary (2015)

Nicole Antebi

Role: Director, writer, animator, and sound design.

Premiered at LACE, Los Angeles, CA

Uisce Beatha: A Mulholland Bestiary is a fantastical history conflating biographical aspects of William Mulholland, the controversial head of the Los Angeles Water Company from 1886-1929 with “Uisce,” the half man, half horse, bird, trickster of Irish Mythology. Spelled U-I-S-C-E, but pronounced Whiskey, the phrase “Uisce Beatha” translates from Gaelic to Water of Life. Uisce sometimes appears as a handsome Highland water-horse, perpetually searching for inland bodies of still water and attracting unsuspecting riders. When Uisce finally does find a rider, they will find themselves affixed to Uisce’s adhesive skin as he runs headlong into the nearest body of water until Uisce completely submerges the rider, leaving only a liver to wash up on the shore.

Uisce Beatha: A Mulholland Bestiary premiered at After the Aqueduct at Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions curated by Kim Stringfellow March 4th-April 12th http://aftertheaqueduct.org

“After the Aqueduct: Art Considering a Dry Future” KCET Artsbound review by Kyle Zimskind: http://www.kcet.org/arts/artbound/counties/los-angeles/after-the-aqueduct-los-angeles-contemporary-exhibitions.html

“Meditations on Southern California’s water lifeline” The Los Angeles Times review by Christopher Knight: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-review-after-the-aqueduct-at-lace-20150324-column.html

“California Scheming” The Wall Street Journal book review by John Buntin http://www.wsj.com/articles/book-review-water-to-the-angels-by-les-standiford-1429657487