I went to visit the Elizabeth Price exhibition at the Nottingham Contemporary. Unlike quite a few showcases, this one focused on people as a collective, forces or voices and how we emerge through material culture.
My parents and I sat and viewed the video FELT TIP (2018), exploring the histories of work and technology by way of a ghost story and sci-fi. I have never seen before a film being showcased in a way like this one was. It is a six-metre-high, two-channel video projection and the scale is what created the most impact for me. I had to keep looking up and down to appreciate the entire image which is possibly the reason that it engages the audience in the way it does.
This showed me that combining elements and two screens together can help to tell a story with another level of depth; the narrative was richly layered. The upper screen is associated with the language and speech, whereas the lower is a subterranean space connected with storage, matter and waste. The visuals reminded me of a computer and programming throughout.
The science-function story traces a social and technological history of the workplace. I was fascinated by the way they visualised the idea of storing vast amounts of digital information with the narrators’ own DNA; the sharp cuts and tone of voice displayed the sensation in the fingertips that they were talking about.
I enjoyed the way symbols of masculinity were displayed, showing the stereotypical authority and suit wearing norms. Although they are exploring the past, especially these typical associations with gender roles, it is told in a view of the future, evident with the technological link throughout.
Going forward to the fashion film brief, it would be effective to utilise some of Price’s techniques. Live action footage and motion graphic are combined using rhythmic edits of music and image which is the main reason I think the installation works so well.
Rachel
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