Site Gallery Visit - Zoe Beloff 'The infernal Dream of Mutt & Jeff'

Before reading please be aware this is a descriptive review which should allow you to visualise the experience, therefore if you are planning to visit the exhibition you may wish to abstain from reading until you have experienced it for yourself.

 Within this exhibition, hosted by the Site Gallery between 18/11/11 - 21/01/12, we see a deconstruction and revelation into the creation of both film and animation. The first thing you encounter is the hum of a vintage projector which throws light through the spinning spools of film onto a screen. An old hand drawn animation plays before being rewound then starting again at the beginning in a loop. Your attention is distracted however, to the rest of the dimly lit room; a jumble of wooden chairs, a long A frame step ladder, a dated film camera, a desk stacked with paper, a backwards spinning clock and three projected images. To enter into this space you have to cross the path of light between the projector and image which holds you back, perhaps symbolic as she ‘considers herself a medium, an interface between the living and the dead, the real and the imaginary.’ (Site Gallery) Breaking through this divide you are immersed into a surreal world; you see three projected black and white moving images alongside the filmic objects and set design. As your mind tries to construct and make sense as to how they link, you begin to see the objects and backdrops within the film match to the physical existence within the gallery, acquiring a glimpse into the creation of film. The visual aesthetics of the vintage equipment and objects is compounded by the auditory existence of the rattling hum of the projector and a buzz showing a shift in the film, creating a narrative to your gallery experience. Once familiarized you become tempted by a giant door in the corner which states ‘Gallery continues push to enter’, there is something about larger galleries which have formalities and many out of bounds areas, which holds you back from entering.

  Crossing back through the stream of light and pushing upon this giant door you find yourself in another room, lacking the auditory stimulus from the previous room, which documents the process of creating the animation, including hand drawn stills on large pieces of parchment. There is documentation of a process where sculptors captured the movement of factory workers by photographing light trails from lights attached to their hands; they would then recreate this shape into a sculpture of wires. The more complex the sculpture, the more complex the task. This is then linked to the creation of the animation, the cartoon utilizes motion path to recreate natural movement. ‘People enjoy cartoons because they see their own lives in them.’

 To me the exhibition seemed a bit disjointed, whether this is the artist’s intention or because of the lack of room within the gallery, is hard to decide. I think it is intentional as you have to cross through barriers to get a glimpse into the creation of film and animation. However, the separate room seems very separate, if it wasn’t for the projected image in the corner of the other room. Whilst there is the link of production process it does seem like two separate exhibitions, therefore, there seems a weakness in this link. Nonetheless, there is a wealth of concept and expression of idea, your perception is challenged and explored.   

http://www.sitegallery.org/archives/3808

http://www.sitegallery.org