ELIZABETH PRICE

ELIZABETH PRICE

THIS IMAGE IS NOT MY OWN

 WHEN I VIEWED THE EXHIBITION OF ELIZABETH PRICES WORK, THE WIDE OPEN SPACE AND LARGE INSTALLATION REALLY INTRIGUED ME AND ADDED TO HER CONTROVERSIAL ART. THE ROOM WAS COMPLETELY DARK, DESPITE THE VIDEO PLAYING OVER ON A LARGE PROJECTION. STOOD WITH MANY OTHER VIEWERS IN THE EXHIBITION I WAS APPREHENSIVE TO MOVE, AND I THINK IT WAS A FEELING ENDURED BY ALL. WITH THE ROOM BEING SO DARK THE FEAR OF BUMPING OR KNOCKING SOMEONE OVER, AND THAT SENSE OF INTIMACY, TOTAL DARKNESS WITH STRANGERS, NOT KNOWING WHO WAS STOOD SO CLOSE OR THE OPPORTUNITY TO INVADE SOMEONE’S PERSONAL SPACE ADDED TO HER EXHIBITION. DIVIDED BETWEEN THREE SEPARATE AREAS , EACH AREA CATERED FOR THE NEEDS OF THE PIECE, AND GAVE A SECLUDED FEELING FROM THE REST OF THE EXHIBITION. ELIZABETH PRICE STATED “THE IDEA OF A LOCATION IS THE BASIS IN EACH WORK FOR THE DRAMA, FOR THE ACTION..” MY MAIN FOCAL POINT WAS THE VIDEO WEST HINDER, BASED ON A SETTING OF A SHIP AT SEA AND THE LOOS OF CARGO OF 3000 LUXURY CARS. PRICE PINPOINTS THE LOSS BY SHOWCASING THE BEAUTY AND LUXURY OF THE CARS WITHIN THE VIDEO. THE EROSION OF THESE CARS IMMERSING INTO THE SEA IS LIKE A PARODY OF WHAT WE USUALLY EXPECT FROM THIS SYMBOLIC INVENTION.  ANOTHER PART OF THE EXHIBITION WAS THE VIDEO CHOIR, THE MULTIPLE VOICES WITHIN THE VIDEO AND USE OF HIGHLY SATURATED IMAGERY, CREATES AN ALMOST HAUNTING EFFECT ON THE VIEWER WHEN WATCHING IT WITHIN THE SETTING IT IS PRESENTED. ALL OF THE VIDEOS INCORPORATE SOME TYPE OF STRUCTURE, WHETHER IT IS THE ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURE OF THE CHOIR TO THE MECHANICAL STRUCTURE OF THE CAR, ALLOWING ME TO DEVELOP MY IDEAS INTO STRUCTURAL FORMS.

ANDREA ZITTEL