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16/12/2013

Brian Eno

Alcala' 31, Madrid

Curated by Iury Lech curator and director of MADATAC

On observing 77 Million Paintings, especially if the visitor has little knowledge of Brian Eno’s work, the first impression is not only that the artistdeservedly commands our attention but also that the piece requires a degree of patience uncommon in contemporary art. This is the prerequisite if one is to capture the essence of the work, to appreciate the fragile plasticity born of its gently pulsating atmosphere.

Brian Eno’s video-paintings demand the viewer to pause, at least for the same length of time as our journey has taken to reach them. They require that we linger in order to observe, reflect and try to make out the often-impenetrable vibrations of our psyche in alpha. It is a genuine challenge for those of us who live at full speed, amid an endless swarm of frenetic sounds and images, our attention skills de-structured.

77Million Paintingsderives from Brain Eno’s exploration of light as an artistic medium and the aesthetic possibilities of generative art. The title refers to the possible number of chance combinations this installation is capable of generating, based on the virtual impossibility of the same audio visual landscape ever being repeated.

We are presenteda generative work built upon Eno’s abstract paintings, within a display setting made up of high definition screens. The individual pieces are organised in layers, allowing different images to merge and create new outcomes, which are continuously changing at a barely perceptible pace. In this way every painting, every moment, is unique.

Both the choice of layers and positioning of the screensare site-specific, designed exclusively for each exhibition space and taking into account its architecture, function and surroundings. The overall effect is meditative artwork which allows us to reflect on the way screens are used, on how and where we experience art.

The piece consists of a central pinwheel display with 12 flat-screen monitors, where randomly generated images are gradually morphing. The changes are hardly discernable, which may be slightly disorienting at first. Any initial bewilderment is soon dispelled, however, as viewers fall captivate to the gently changing compositions and their calming effect upon retinas saturated by the daily bombardment of stimuli.

Another pillar of this audio-visual experience is the how the installation itself is designed. Tree-like columns and multi-coloured cones create a fairyland atmosphere, breathing life into the display-screen sculpture, while geometric wall-mounts serve to frame the focus-point of the exhibition.

The soundtrack to accompany the video-paintings falls within the genre of ambient music and, much like the images themselves, delivers a broader sensory experience than one would expect from randomly generated permutations.

Likewise, the installation design specifically developed for Sala Alcalá contributes to the dynamic expansion of this piece. What first appears to be a metaphor for audio visual creation swiftly reveals itself as striking poetry of time, as if for Enoit marched at a different pace to the rest of us.

The creative career of Brian Eno (1948, Woodbridge, UK) began in the early 70s as a member of the band, Roxy Music. Since then, he has become one of the most influential among contemporary artists, not only within the musical scene – as the creator of ambient – but also in the visual arts. His contribution, deeply influenced by synaesthesia, can be described both as “visual musical” or “auditory imagery”.

As a composer, Brian Eno’s artistic output comprises dozens of albums including the series of ambient music for unexpected spaces, likeMusic for Airports (1978), On Land (1982), or My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (1981). This last record was developed with David Byrne, former member of the group, Talking Heads, and is one of the first albums to extensively use samples of other recordings. Eno has also enjoyed an outstanding career as a producer, working with artists such as David Bowie or U2; with his input and guidance, these musicians have created some of the most influential albums in recent decades.

Precedents for 77 Million Paintings may be found in Eno’s early videos from the 80s, including Mistaken Memories of Medieval Manhattan (1981) or Thursday Afternoon(1984). Hypnotic, unhurried explorations of a New York district’s urban landscape or the slow, deliberate movements of a model – a delicate, broken doll… These works illustrate Brian Eno’s intention; to contextualise visual art within an environment where it is possible to concentrate on both music and image, filtered by technological aids.

The uniqueness of 77 Million Paintings lies not, then, in the originality of this artwork itself, but in how it plays with the matchless nature of every single instant.

Iury Lech

Sala Alcalá 31 – C/ Alcalá, 31
Tuesdays till Saturdays from 11:00 to 20:30. Sundays and Holidays and December 24th and 31st from 11:00 h to 14:00.
Closed on Mondays and December 25th and January 1st
Free Entrance

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