Artspace

While it's all still fresh in my memory...

I thought Artspace was pretty cool. Two works that particularly struck me were those of Gail Priest (the interactive sound installation with the interpretative sheets... I couldn't find the name of the work) and Tim Silver's photographic exploration of Japan's gay subculture and horror films. The common element I noticed between these two works (which I suspect as the very quality that drew me to them) were their forced viewer involvement, whether physically or mentally.

Priest's work involved the hysical pressing of a button to initiate video projection and sound, further invoking action by prompting the viewer to interpret the images with the provided legends; much like tarot cards. What I was acutely aware of when viewing the work was my reluctance to pick up the sheet and touch the button. The mental block of refraining to touch works was challenged upfront by the straightforward nature of the Priest's instructions.

Silver's photographs however, I felt engaged the viewer in more of a psychological sense; challenging the viewer to identify from which movies the film still reproductions were created. Both works, I felt had a playful kind of feel to them, a bit pop-culture-esque.