calendario eventi  :: 

X

13/2/2005

Jonathan Kearny

House Gallery, London

Horse Horse Tiger Tiger - Crossing the Road: China Observation 1 and 2

A series of street projections from an artist living in China

These are 2 short films (3minutes40seconds) which were shot and edited in Yunnan Province, China. They explore the nature of an 'event', that in Britain is mundane and rarely thought provoking or seen as an 'event'. Crossing the road would appear to be a simple exercise driven purely by the need to reach a destination. Traffic lights, zebra crossings, lollipop men and women all work to make this activity as simple and mindless as possible.

SIGNIFICANT OCCURANCE
So when does crossing the road become, as one dictionary puts it, 'a significant occurrence or happening'? Here in China it would appear that there are no rules and chaos reigns, or at least the biggest dirtiest trucks reign. However, it isn't the lack of rules that makes crossing the road such an event to a foreigner, it is simply the change in rules. Basically no one has right of way and everyone has right of way. It seems bizarre but I am gradually getting used to it.

OBSERVE
These films simply observe the process of crossing at one particular junction. The editing reflects the complexity and a certain feeling of danger that is always present. However there has been no altering of the footage and the sound is a combination of what was recorded during the actual filming.

HORSE HORSE TIGER TIGER (MA MA HU HU)
This is a Chinese phrase loosely meaning 'so so', 'sort of ok'. I guess you would normally use it about crossing the road in Britain, not really that interesting. But here the presence of horses and the roar of the heavy trucks gives the phrase a new feel, the feel of an 'event'.

CAMEO
The cameo appearences bring a sense of humanity to a mechanised noisy environment. An old couple are seen attempting and then abandoning their effort to cross the road. Through the thick smoke of heavy sulphur fuel, various traders are doing business, selling helium balloons, pears, and baked yams. Six men ride on a horse and cart, a woman with a bright pink umbrella calmly negotiates the traffic, three teenage girls walk arm in arm, a grandmother, mother and daughter pass by, a business man in a suit and tie pushes his bike, a girl in a red top stretches her arms out wide. And yet, through it all a man sits on the kurb and sleeps, maybe this is a non-event after all.

Jonathan Kearney 2004

ARTIST: JONATHAN KEARNY

Jonathan has been living in China for 6 months. He moved there with his family after his MA at Camberwell College of Arts and is now a tutor at the College. He has had numerous shows with the House Gallery and has been involved with the running of the space for many years. Jonathan believes there is a strong movement in contemporary art at this time in China and is investigating this whilst he is out there with a view to a Phd. The House Gallery is please to present the first in a series of films from the artist.

House Gallery - 70 Camberwell Church Street, Camberwell SE5 8QZ
5 p.m. - 10 p.m. Monday - Saturday

stampa

permanent link