Slice: Hengest to Alnick - A Coastal Sequence
Authors: Sykes, E.L.
Dates: 9 June-7 July 2011
Abstract:This solo exhibition, ‘Slice: Hengest to Alnick - A Coastal Sequence’, aimed to reflect on the impact and influence of the coastline in my work. From this starting point, I worked with Gallery Manager and Co-Curator at ArtSway, Melinda McCheyne, to configure four new installations in the space at Newbury Arts. I selected ‘Slice’, ‘The Wire’, ‘Penpynfarch’ and ‘The Unfairground Series’. Slice is an abstracted road movie shot along the coastal road between Alnick and Seahouses in Northumberland, where the material that make up the winter hedgerows are ‘sewn’ together on screen. This formed a diptych, where each screen shows a looped movie of differing lengths. This means that potentially, each audience member sees a different configuration of images. Eight ‘Unfairground Series’ films were shown in a flower formation, where each small screen faced outwards to reveal one looped ‘Unfair’ movie. The films were, therefore related to each other but not overwhelmed by each other. The Unfairground Series of films were shot on a clifftop at Hengistbury Head in Dorset. This installation based practice led research project explores how the work has developed over time, yet still has a close connection with the sea. Supported by New Greenham Art Gallery and Bournemouth University.
Feedback from visitors to the exhibition: ‘Great to see ‘Slice’ on analogue screens. Such crisp imagery. ‘The Wire’ is just I feel! But after watching it over and over, I had a revelation that each time we take one step forward (moving through the screen space), we are not back to the beginning, but taking another step. Thanks for this piece.
Great show! Favourite one ‘Slice’ and ‘The Wire’
Enjoyed seeing your work once again, especially Penpynfarch, full of mystery and atmosphere.
To see stills from these films see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizziesykes/ Set is called 'Newbury Art Gallery 2011'
Source: Manual
Preferred by: Lizzie Sykes