In 1998 Danielle Lemaire got to know the music and drawings of Lucia Pamela (United States, 1904-2002). She felt an immediate affinity with Pamela’s -relatively unknown- work. Since then Danielle Lemaire works on a comprehensive project around this eccentric lady – including a documentary film (85 minutes), photographs, films, drawings, music, audio-and book publications and a comprehensive archive of correspondence-and research materials.

Lucia Pamela, entertainer,‘outsider artist’, first woman on the moon and Miss St.Louis in 1927, was leader of one of the first female swingbands in the 1920s and 30s in the South of the United States and made the album ‘Into Outer Space With Lucia Pamela’ in 1969.

The music and songs on this LP are about Lucia’s trip to the moon and are recorded there. The LP (label Gulfstream Records) in the meantime has become a rare collector’s item.

Danielle Lemaire researched the progression and production of this wonderous album and the remarkable life of Lucia Pamela. Amongst those Danielle Lemaire received support from Pamela’s grandson, Hollywood filmmaker, Dale Rosenbloom. He commissioned Lemaire to make a documentary on his grandmother when he noticed the flourishing friendship between Lemaire and Pamela.

Danielle met Pamela several times, befriended her and her ‘American Dream’ family, who are owners of the football team ‘The St.Louis Rams’.

This was a unique entrance into the life Lucia Pamela and her family-that otherwise would have remained closed.

The ‘making of’ of Lemaire’s documentary became a story in itself. In ‘A story of a Document Humain, about Lucia Pamela’ the artist shows image-and soundworks, an overview of her research archive, and her documentary. A special book and a CD ‘L.A.Diary’ will be released alongside the exhibition.

16 september 2010

Introduction and presentation documentary Danielle Lemaire: ‘Into Outer Space With Lucia Pamela’

Your-space in the Studio, B-1