Modern Painters

I read a really good article in the May edition of Modern Painters by Laura Mulvey about a filmmaker called Mark Lewis. Lewis is interested in the old Hollywood technique of rear projection and he stages acts or scenes using this method. Mulvey talks about how the 'oblique' re-use of old technologies, used within an art context brings a new significance to this 'old' device.

However, what really grabbed me were the notions around space, time, figure ground relationships and representation. Lewis draws links back to Renaissance painting and their use of 'a central figure shown against a spatially aggregated background' ( Laura Mulvey, 2009, Mark Lewis: Exploring the Mirage behind the movie star, Modern Painters, New York p.61 )'and the disjunction or disorientation that this provides. Lewis cites, The Virgin of Chancellor Rolin by Jan Van Eyck as an example of this 'spatially aggregated background'.

But the thrust of the article is based around how the old can become the 'new' new.
http://www.louvre.fr/llv/oeuvres/detail_notice.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673225618&CURRENT_LLV_NOTICE%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673225618&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=9852723696500812&baseIndex=118&bmLocale=en