ARTIST ROOMS: Film & Video Programme

This film programme has been devised to complement ‘ARTIST ROOMS: Jenny Holzer’. The films chosen reflect responses to war and conflict through images, the written and spoken word.

A few of the films contain images that some visitors may find upsetting and are not suitable for children under 12 without adult supervision. There are scenes of nudity in ‘Desert Storm’ and ‘Measures of Distance’ There is one obscene word in ‘Not in Our Name’. There are scenes of death in ‘Commander in Chief’.

The opinions expressed in these films are those of the film-makers and do not necessarily represent the views of The Lightbox.

Art:21 Presents: Jenny Holzer - From the PBS Series Art:21- Art in the Twenty - First Century, 13min 25s, USA, 2007

“...’Art:21–Art in the Twenty-First Century’ is the only
series on television to focus exclusively on contemporary visual art and artists in the United States. Fascinating and intimate footage allows the viewer to observe the artists at work, watch their process as they transform inspiration into art, and hear their thoughts as they grapple with the physical and visual challenges of achieving their artistic vision...”

Not in Our Name - A documentary by Hazuan Hashim & Phil Maxwell, 14min 36s, UK, 2009

Featuring veteran anti-war campaigner Tony Benn and peace campaigners from around the world, the film examines works by artists in response to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Artists provide a candid analysis of war through their work and take the viewer on a journey that celebrates humanity and the struggle for peace.

Commander in Chief* - Gorilla Tapes, 4mins, UK, 1984

An example of early Scratch video. Found footage and sounds from television newsreels repeated and re-worked to subvert the meaning of the original. A powerful and satirical work still pertinent in the current political arena.

Cobra Mist* - Emily Richardson, 7mins, UK, 2008

Filmed at Orford Ness, the site of an abandoned and
deteriorating Atomic Weapons Research Centre. Much of what took place there is still protected under the official secrets act and Richardson’s use of time lapse photography and creative sound reveal the sinister and secretive atmosphere of this extraordinary landscape.

Qaeda Quality Question Quickly Quickly Quiet* - Lenka Clayton, 20mins, Germany, 2003

An alphabetical version of George W. Bush’s infamous ‘Axis of Evil’ speech. 4,100 words were spliced together in quick succession resulting in a snapshot of the rhetoric that dominated American politics in the aftermath of 9/11.

Desert Storm* - Grace Ndiritu, 5mins, UK, 2004

This haunting work references media, television and
advertising imagery. Implications of war, violation and repression are contradicted by undertones of sexual
freedom and spirituality.

Measures of Distance* - Mona Hatoum, 16mins, UK, 1988

Hatoum, a Palestinian artist, was exiled in Europe at the outset of civil war in 1975. This poignant work speaks of the pain of enforced separation from her mother whilst referencing the harsh realities of war and oppression.

* Film selected by Maggie Warwick

Split Times - Greg, Jo, Joe, Simon, Emma, Tom, Stacey and Steph (Frogmore Court, Maidenhead). With the participation of Daphne Bateman and Ted Bond (Maidenhead Heritage Centre), 9 mins, UK, 2009

Split Times is the title of two short video works by eight young people in which two narratives of being young in Maidenhead are presented, one describing the experiences of a young person today and the other the memories of an older person of their youth. Young and old present each others stories and in so doing raise awareness about how different generations perceive and respond to each other and how often feelings are shared.

Residents of Frogmore Court in Maidenhead have worked with brook & black to create artworks using video, text and projection. The young people took part in a variety of creative activities including visits to Tate Modern, Tate Britain and The Lightbox, and practical exercises including drawing, filming, photography, discussions, writing and keeping a sketchbook.

brook & black is an artistic partnership of Tiffany Black and Leora Brook who have been making work and exhibiting together since 2003. Together they work with film, sculpture and installation working in and outside the gallery, undertaking community projects and public commissions.

Split Times was produced as part of Trail Blazing, an innovative art project commissioned by Look Ahead
Housing and Care. The art project created an opportunity for artists, in collaboration with young people, to develop new work that supports them in building constructive relationships with the environment and local community. Trail Blazing involved two six-month artist residences in supported housing projects for young people – Rainforest Walk in Bracknell and Frogmore Court in Maidenhead.