Artist Statement

Dead Flowers is, at its core, a tragic love story. That is, it is a film about profound disappointment in the face of idealism, passion, and hope. The film seeks to access the deepest sentiments of Rock and Roll, not limited to catharsis and longing, and to communicate and examine my own impulse towards instrument destruction. While I originally thought of smashing my guitar as simple catharsis, I have come to think of Dead Flowers and the destruction of the guitar itself as an act of Gonzo journalism as well as a rite of passage. Through evocative juxtaposition of iconic imagery and of personal essay, it is my aim to contextualize pop culture within the realm of human emotion and the human experience. I want to stress that this is not a double helix essay. I didn’t do any research. These are images and events that have shaped my entire worldview. Through this project, I have reached a much deeper connection to my guitar and to my culture. If you find yourself offended by the historically traumatic images, think of it as empathizing with me, then maybe you can better understand what I am doing in Dead Flowers. Presented here, due to certain restraints, is the first half of Dead Flowers.

Artist Bio

The son of a California flower child and a psychologist from New York, Jake Rabeck was born in Santa Maria, California in 1989 and lived in North Hollywood until the age of six before moving to Cupertino. He attended De Anza Community College and then the University of Arizona before transferring to The Evergreen State College in Olympia.