Cal State Fullerton Grand Central Art Center is featured in the film “Beyond the Duplex Planet,” a feature documentary on artist David Greenberger that will premiere at the March SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. The last 20 minutes of the film explores Greenberger’s work during his Grand Central Art Center residency from 2017-19, where he collaborated with Santa Ana’s senior community to create a deeply moving and meaningful project.
During his residency, Greenberger conducted dozens of interviews with seniors at such locations as the Santa Ana Senior Center, Tustin Senior Center, Heninger Village, Flower Terrace Apartments and Bowers Museum. These conversations inspired the creation of “It Happened to Me,” a two-disc album of musical monologues performed with the Chattanooga-based ensemble Prime Lens that features an album cover designed by artist Ed Ruscha. The residency culminated in an intimate performance at The Den Cafe, followed by a live public performance at Santa Ana High School’s Bill Medley Auditorium, featuring Santa Ana senior Jose Magana, whom Greenberger met at the Santa Ana Senior Center.
The film includes interviews at GCAC with Greenberger and John Spiak, director of GCAC. The film also features Louie Perez from Los Lobos, and Santa Ana residents Tish Leon and Francine Harris, among others. These moments capture the heart of Greenberger’s residency and the profound connections he built with our communities.
“Beyond the Duplex Planet” is a celebration of storytelling, aging and the power of art to honor overlooked voices. GCAC plans to collaborate with filmmaker Beth Harrington to host a film screening for the Titan community.
Greenberger’s artist-in-residence was supported in part through a grant from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.