Elizabeth McAlpine at Laura Bartlett

I visited the Laura Bartlett Gallery last week to see Liz McAlpine's show 'Flatland'. I was welcomed in even though I turned up on a day that the gallery was closed and greeted with silent projectors . These were swiftly turned on.

http://www.laurabartlettgallery.co.uk/Exhibition-current/96#

For me, the most engaging aspect of the show were the machines and their setup. A tower of projectors placed in prime sight at the convergence of a narrowing entrance hall, drew one in for closer inspection. The projected image held little allure against the rig of the machines. Downstairs in a basement two projectors side by side projected 2 frames of a piece of string drawn horizontally across the middle of each, not quite lining up. I understand through the text that this tension was deliberate, but I couldn't help being irked by the fact that the first frame was a different size to the second and so my belief that this tension existed was somehow dispelled as I could see the unravelling of this construct.

What did make me smile though was that even through the obvious containment of film within a sculptural context (the fact that the projectors were left to whir away in these white rooms and you the viewer where meant to enter and leave but always be presented with this object, silently always producing its reason for being) did start to revolt. One projector was jumping and clattering, getting louder, and a frame of film was burnt onto the bulb of one of the 'Tilt (in 6 parts)' frames, so burnt acetate was a constant image.

This is an interesting show and a reminder that the beauty of super 8 lies in it's fragility and spontaneity.

Pan on OnSuper8.org

The wonderful people at onsuper8.org have put Pan on their Blip.TV channel. They are very kind.

http://onsuper8.blogspot.com/2009/04/pan-on-podcast.html

The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts


The experience of setting up my work for the late shift was interesting for me. No chance to spend hours deliberating over siting the work and arrangement. I showed 'I Surround You' (3 super 8 loops) and 'Film Loop' in the education room on the lower ground floor of the centre, all opaque white glass and electronic screens. While outside in the corridor video works were projected on the floor and the walls. Upstairs in the fantastic cafe, main exhibition area the bands played and poetry and performance were in full swing.

What an amazing space and collection, the most democratically designed gallery, education space and museum I've ever been too. We were completely bowled over by the Giacometti's, Franics Bacons', Picasso and Charles Maussion, who's inspired me to make a film about the centre, so hopefully I'll be going back to make and show more work.

The Late Shift

I'm showing a couple of super 8 loop installations at The Late Shift, the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts at UEA tomorrow night. Liz Ballard curates and programmes after hours arts 'happenings'. My first visit to Norwich and looking forward to it.

The Late Shift

Late Wednesday Open Art Event

Wednesday 15 April

5pm – 8pm

Price: free

FILM

MUSIC

PERFORMANCE

POETRY

Explore art after hours and enjoy a mix of performance, poetry, music and more from emerging visual artists in the region.

Featuring

Keyboard and guitar based songs from collaborative duo Amrita & The Boy With Two Heads

Artist films by Jonathan Watts, Matthew Robinson and Tim Dodd presented within the China China China exhibition

An installation by Cathy Rogers
with super 8 exploring the formal qualities of film

Live acoustic music from Simon Hallett & Axel Loughrey

A performance by Gaelin Little & Mari Joyce exploring the boundaries of physical experience and the intangible

Poetry from John Brown

Tom Hardman performing a set of original acoustic songs with classical guitar

why not soak up the atmosphere with a light snack and a drink in our Gallery Café?

For more information about events at the Sainsbury Centre email scva@uea.ac.uk,

telephone 01603 593199 or visit the website www.scva@uea.ac.uk