“Black Maria”Recreated

In 1893, Thomas Edison created the world’s first movie production studio in West Orange, New Jersey — Black Maria. The Black Maria studio was entirely covered with black tar paper, and its sloping roof featured large movable windows to let sunlight in, ensuring the necessary light intensity for filming. The studio was mounted on a rotating track, allowing it to adjust its orientation to face the sun at all times and obtain optimal natural lighting. The interior space of the studio was relatively small, and Edison’s staff drew a comparison to the “Black Maria” prison vans of the time, which led to the studio's name. Edison filmed nearly 1,200 silent films in Black Maria. The birth of Black Maria marked the shift of filmmaking from open-air shooting to controlled indoor environments. It eliminated the constraints of weather and lighting, enabling filming in more variable conditions. Additionally, the establishment of Black Maria played a crucial role in the development and dissemination of film technology, altering the relationship between images and interior space. It remains a significant milestone in the history of filmmaking. PILLS pays tribute to Edison’s design and construction of the movie studio "Black Maria" by recreating it. This also serves as the inspiration for PILLS’ "Black Maria" art installation.

Project Information Project Type: Artwork Dimensions: 60×60×40cm Craft: Main Body - Laser-cut Wood, Surface - Dyed Rice Paper, Structural Components - 3D Printing (Photosensitive Resin) Produced by: PILLS Date: 2024