NJ State of Mind
- Feb 19, 2022
- 1 min read
Updated: Jul 22
Filmmaker Shayna Strype pulls us deep into the trance state of the NJ Turnpike with her animated short, NJ State of Mind.
Video still of NJ State of Mind
Commuting along the New Jersey Turnpike can be an alienating experience.
In our car-centered universe, we travel in steel pods through placeless landscapes, isolated from each other’s state of mind. But what if we’re not? suggests artist Shayna Strype in her animated short NJ State of Mind. Commissioned by Dense for Issue 1, Strype’s Turnpike isn’t just a road but a multi-laned portal where new universes appear as a kaleidoscopic trance mixing road signs, radio evangelicals, and rest stops, only to arrive in the comfort of their suburban driveways. This ain’t no ordinary commute, so enjoy the ride.
Animation + Edit by Shayna Strype | Music by Jordan Parker | Voiceover by Jimmy Dillon
Shayna Strype works across film, live performance, puppetry, and animation. Her latest film, Our Mine, took home Best Experimental Film honors at both the Dumbo and Brooklyn Film Festivals in 2021. Learning to drive on Route 17 was a core adolescent memory, when her driving instructor grabbed the wheel from her in fear.
