poppy

ArtSway 18/07/07

Ma Yongfeng The Cretaceous Period
Three large photographs: model of a volcano erupting, what appears to be dinosaur remains in the earth, model of snowy landscape with warm looking shelter. On first impressions they didn't 'grab' me. Same format as Beate Gütschows' R/LS (displayed last spring). Don't see the relationship between contents and format, why has such huge brilliant quality photographs been used. All the photographs are of models, so why then change it to a lense based media for display?
In a separate darkened room, were two silent videos. One of the model volcano erupting, the other of waves clearly created by a small wave machine. You can see the contrasts: fire against water, and the joining factor: both 'man-made'. But the positioning of the videos was quite unusual, and almost off putting. It was hard to view the videos in relation to each other, through their positioning they seemed like two separate pieces.

Joel Papps Goodpasture's
Knowing the layout of the gallery you realise a small hallway has been built leading into one of the rooms, a small plaque was opposite the new wall, which I briefly read. I thought there was a mirror with wood craved over it, on the new wall, or bits of mirror within the carving, but when I looked round I realised that there wasn't. It made me feel a bit uneasy (and stoopid) but I liked the fact, that as I had only caught a glimpe I assumed it was something that it wasn't, but when I properly looked I realised the truth.
In the room there are thin carvings from chipboard and wood, some painted, some stuck to the wall, some laying down, some stood up. They look like trees or shrubs or veins. After reading the sheet and discovering that they are from scans of diseased cells, it made slightly more sense, but made the work seem more sinister. Not knowing that goodpastures is a disease, I did not put it together with the carvings, but rather saw the pastures and trees reference. Without information I think a completely different feel and idea about the piece is put across. Prior knowledge is important.

On the way home we stopped off at Christchurch and I got a hug from a clown.

posted by poppy @ 11:36 am