Recently exhibited at: Lighthouse, Poole, Dorset, UK. 23 Nov 19 – 08 Jan 2020
‘Lost – A journey through the fragile mind’
Earlier Exhibition: Civic Centre, Barnsley, UK. 14-29 June 2019.
This installation is available for exhibition with a larger version planned to extend from light into dark spaces.
Please e.mail to discuss exhibiting : jacquibyrne@btinternet.com
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‘Lost – A journey through the fragile mind’ was exhibited as part of the ‘Duodecimal’ exhibition. This title represents the 12 artists from around the world who studied together for three years finally meeting up to bring together the OCA MA Fine Art group exhibition:
Duodecimal Artists at The Civic in Barnsley, UK. 2019:
Below: A breakdown of the different elements of ‘Lost – A journey through the fragile mind’.
Above: a clip from the film that projects through the hanging element of the installation.
The hanging element within of the installation captures fragments of the projected film.
Shadow, made by and captured within, the installation, are intended to portray the ephemeral nature of memory.
Here I am, adding human presence to the work. This installation is designed to be walked through and experienced.
Meaning:
‘Lost – A journey through the fragile mind’ was inspired by conversations with my Mother when she was in the early to mid stages of Dementia.
It is an installation made up of several parts, some of which are: Film, Hanging fragmented pieces, Shadow, Human presence and energy, and Ephemerality. The film was made on location in my farm orchard. A place of quiet beauty, where my mother loved to walk through. Utilising the energy of this space, I used portions of abstracted landscapes on paper and canvas that were made in and around that location. On the back of each fragment, using a variety of printing techniques, I placed faded, indistinct images. Which I then strung, criss-crossing each other on red string throughout the orchard, repositioning them back into their inspirational landscape. The film walks us through the installation, taking us on a journey through faded, fragmented and indistinct memories of the forgetting mind.
(See expanded explanation of the work below)
Still from the film: Lost – A journey through the fragile mind:
Above: Still image taken from the film ‘Lost – A journey through the fragile mind’
©Jacqueline M Byrne
Expanded Meaning:
Lost – A journey through the fragile mind
Is an installation that was filmed on location in my springtime orchard at my farm in Dorset. It was then repositioned into the gallery where the film was projected through the display.
- When viewing please bear in mind that this work is an immersive, large space installation.
So what’s it all about?
In this work I endeavour to iterate the effect of memory loss and detachment from everyday reality. Inspired by conversations with my Mother when she was in the early to mid stages of Dementia and research I carried out during this time and subsequently.
The Filmed outside installation:
The physical location and timing of the filmed installation was intended to immerse the viewer in a sensorially beautiful space at springtime, within a flowering orchard with bluebells underfoot and blue sky above. The sound of birdsong is heard all around as the viewer is taken on a slow motion journey into, through and around the installation. This portion of the work I think of as “The serenity of not knowing, of being in the moment”.
This slow serene bubble is unexpectedly interrupted by the “mournful” sound of the raven loudly filling the space, jarring the mind. (The raven is often associated with ‘loss’. Or, ‘Menace’ as seen in Alfred Hitchcock’s film ‘The Birds’ ). These points of interruption happened spontaneously during filming. They serve to disquiet the mind within the moment of calm. Expressing, what was explained during my explorations for this project, of how reality unexpectedly disturbs the calm, sharply interjecting a realiseation that “something is wrong”. After which, calm returns once more.
The hanging pieces within the installation comprise portions of thematically relatable abstracted sea and landscapes, layered on paper and canvas that were cut from larger works made in and around the location of the film.
On the back of each of these fragments using a variety of printing techniques, I have placed faded, broken indistinct images of people.
The abstraction in this element of the work is intended to create distance from the reality. Which is then further extended by fragmenting and re-positioning of the pieces.
Physically distorting the original in this way blurs and generates a necessary ambiguity in comprehending the original imagery. Representing the fracturing fragmenting mind as it involuntarily loses memory.
These fragments are placed along red string lines that criss cross one another.
The red lines are intended to symbolise neural brain activity and dis-connectivity interchanging during memory loss.
Repositioning the installation within the gallery:
The installation was then repositioned inside the gallery space. The pieces that were placed on the crossing red lines were then placed hanging from the now broken red lines. Reflecting a sea change in neural activity. The film too is fragmented as it is projected through and broken by, the now hanging pieces.
This hanging imagery picks up portions of the flickering moving images from the projection. Distorting its reality and layering movement into the fragmented pieces.
Human presence / The viewer:
The gallery installation is designed to directly engage the viewer within the space directly, as a necessary participant. Physically, through their presence, mentally through engagement in the subject and ephemerally as they move within it, are projected onto by the film and as their shadow and presence is integrated into the whole.
Extending meaning:
This work, although initially inspired by memory loss, I hope will engage in, amongst other things, a dialogue expanding the subject of ‘loss’ and include conversation relating to lived and shared experience within and around this globally relevant subject.
Exhibition Dates:
‘Lost – A journey through the fragile mind’ is currently exhibited at:
- 23 Nov 19 – 08 Jan 2020: Lighthouse, Poole, Dorset, UK.
- As part of the OCA MA Fine Art Duodecimal exhibition.
14 – 29 June 2019: Civic Hall, Barnsley, UK.
This installation can be made available in part, or in its entirety for exhibition. Please e.mail me at: jacquibyrne@btinternet.com
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