Looking Glass, Kube Gallery, Dorset

Dates: April-October 2009

Abstract:

Lizzie Sykes and Cathy Seago were the first artists to be awarded an ArtLab residency at the Kube Gallery, Dorset (peer review). They were subsequently awarded a second residency to expand on their work at the first. The resulting piece, Looking Glass, was performed once in April 2009, and developed for a further six performances with dancer Roz Nocturn (with Cathy Seago) in September and October 2009. This work formed part of the Second Salon exhibition, curated by Ania Bas. Looking Glass is a live art research piece that aims to explore the interaction between performance and the moving image within the location of the gallery interior and grounds. In this work they interrupt the relationship between looking and ‘doing’ and thinking about sight and seeing, perception and participation. Central to this project is the ability to view a connected world, yet be separated from it by the glass layers of a viewfinder, lens, window or the conceptual fourth wall. Sykes and Seago used both interior and exterior of this glass, steel and stone space through which movement was tracked and framed. They integrated water into the performance, using large glass spherical vessels that refracted and distorted the performance, as did glass spheres that framed the solos. Each performance was followed by a Q&A with the audience. At ‘Second Salon, an in depth post performance debate chaired by Helen Sloan of Scan took place discussing the nature of artistic collaborations. Present were a large group of artists whose work is informed by collaboration, including Cathy Seago, Lizzie Sykes, Jeannie Driver, Ania Bas and Joe Flintham.

For stills see flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizziesykes/sets/72157618909544578/

Source: Manual

Preferred by: Lizzie Sykes