John Greyson and David Wall
dal 14/11/2003 al 25/1/2004
Segnalato da
14/11/2003
John Greyson and David Wall
Oakville Galleries, Oakville
In Fig Trees, a contemporary video-opera, artists take their fondness for experimenting with theatrical time and space literally into another dimension. This is a brave foray into unexplored territory: one dependent on a physical interaction with the audience.
Fig Trees
Curated by Marnie Fleming
November 15, 2003 to January 25, 2004
Act One in Gairloch Gardens, 1306 Lakeshore Road East
November 19, 2003 to January 25, 2004
Act Two at Centennial Square, 120 Navy Street
Opening reception:
Tuesday November 18, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Gairloch Gardens
followed by a viewing and reception at Centennial Square from 7:30 p.m. to
10:30 p.m.
Complementing Fig Trees:
A discussion led by Robert Everett-Green, with artist John Greyson, composer
David Wall and musicologist Bongani Ndodana, Wednesday January 14, 2004,
7:30 p.m., at Centennial Square.
In Fig Trees, a contemporary video-opera, artists John Greyson and David
Wall take their fondness for experimenting with theatrical time and space
literally into another dimension. This is a brave foray into unexplored
territory: one dependent on a physical interaction with the audience. What
is more, it is a sumptuous play of Greyson's words, images and movement,
supported by Wall's affecting musical scores.
In riffing off the 1928 opera by Virgil Thomson and Gertrude Stein, Four
Saints in Three Acts, Greyson's narrative begins with Gertrude and Virgil
searching for a suitable subject for a new opera. They are accompanied by
St. Teresa (lifted from Four Saints) and together they approach 'Saint'
Zachie Achmat (a real-life AIDS activist in South Africa) and try to
convince him that they can do his story justice.
Greyson's imagery and projections in Fig Trees are specific to each scene:
multi or single channel, projected onto a wall, a floor, or framed by
specially created environments. At the same time Wall's accompanying complex
rhythms are a remarkable flow of invention and have been composed with
Greyson's fluid video style in mind. The staging takes place over Oakville
Galleries's two venues in which participants walk from room to room
accompanied by a printed libretto. The audience shares in the work of
re-arranging its disparate parts into an intelligible order. A combination
of creativity and synthesis gives Fig Trees life and vitality as gradually
evolving patterns and images coalesce. As Greyson says, "It is an opera that
both questions and demonstrates the troubled relationship between an elite
art form and a kind of grubby street activism." Ultimately Fig Trees is a
provocation to collaborate on many levels — physically, intellectually,
emotionally — critically.
Catalogue available:
with essays by Bongani Ndodana and David Wall, libretto notes by John
Greyson, CD soundtrack by David Wall.
For press information contact Dana Samuel
John Greyson and David Wall are recipients of the 2002 Chalmers Arts
Fellowship grant.
The exhibition Fig Trees is generously sponsored by Salah Bachir. Oakville
Galleries also gratefully acknowledges the support of the Corporation of the
Town of Oakville, The Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts
Council.
Oakville Galleries in Gairloch Gardens is located at 1306 Lakeshore Road
East, 2 km east of downtown Oakville. The gallery is open 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.,
Tuesday to Sunday.
Oakville Galleries at Centennial Square is located at 120 Navy Street in
downtown Oakville. The gallery is open 12:00 to 9:00 p.m. Tuesday to
Thursday; 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. Friday; 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday; and
1:00 to 5:00 p.m., Sunday.
Admission to Oakville Galleries is free