MULTl-MEDIA PREVIEW
Dialogues
It's lifting the lid on work that's been going on sotto voce for a while. Dialogues is a multi-media collaboration between a range of composers, technobuffs, artists and architects. Following quickly in the footsteps of Richard Demarco's show on the life and work of artist Joseph Beuys at the Matthew Gallery, it's a case of out with the old and in with the new. In a changing programme of events is work by Si Yuill from Aberdeen- based digital arts group, Elevator, and no fewer than 26 international video artists. Dialogue looks set to provide some of the most unusual audio-visual stimuli around.
‘It's evolved from a series of concerts we've been doing this year,’ explains Pedro Rebelo, who has put the show together with help from John Gooch and Martin Parker. A doctoral student in contemporary music, Rebelo is working with the University of Edinburgh's Department of Architecture to explore the acoustic properties of space. ‘We just wanted to get away from the conventional ways of concert presentation and to play music in environments and installations,’ he continues, 'but we're also interested in a multi-disciplinary approach which brings in video, sculpture, sound and technology.’
Dialogues kicks off with a series of interactive sonic pieces recorded both here and abroad by members of the UK Soundscape Community, followed by a day of international video work. On 26 September, the space is
Sound and light: Pedro Rebelo's computer-generated imagery
taken over by Reflext, an interactive piece with mirrors, sound and light by artists Naomi West and Martin Parker, supplemented on 27 September by a performance of John Cage’s last work Muoyce 2. From 1 September, Parker and Rebelo's Spool mixes effects from the old reel-to-reel tape machines with digital technology, while Rebelo's Partial Space pursues his architectural interests. Dividing the gallery into eight sound zones, Rebelo will create an invisible sound space triggered by movement. Sounds sound. (Marc Lambert) a Dialogues, The Matthew Gallery, Department of Architecture, 650 2298, until 3 Sep, Mon-Fri 70am—5pm, free.
paintings are investigations into space, form and balance.
Canadian born Agnes Martin, who is now in her late 805, is an artist of near- silence. Horizontal pencil lines quiver over white paint like a whisper. Bypassing exuberant abstract expressionism (Martin was born the same year as Jackson Pollock), her paintings are meditative rather than passionately expressive. And in this space, the fall of light through paned windows casts shadows that quietly echo the simple lines of Martin's work. The whole gallery seems devoted to Zen-like contemplation.
Again appropriately, Martin’s 80- minute video, Gabriel, is soundless. A
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Sitting comfortably: Agnes Martin at home
CHARLES R. RUSHTON
mesmerising journey, it follows a young boy’s walk through a landscape. For minutes, Martin’s hand-held, waivering
PAINTING REVIEW
Agnes Martin 8: John McLaughlin
*k‘k‘ki'
Clean white and always bright, lnverleith House is a sanctuary for those with minimalist tendencies. With a sweep of floorboards and stunning
84 THE US? 26 Aug—9 Sep 1999
views across the Botanic Gardens to Edinburgh, shows in this gallery rarely get caught up with maximumism.
The work of Agnes Martin and John McLaughlin is appropriately clean-cut. McLaughlin, who died in 1973, was an artist long interested in hard-edged geometric abstraction. All squares of colour and strong lines, his prints and
camera lingers on an eddying stream or leaves fluttering on trees. The colours are washed-out and, if you listen carefully, you can hear the sound of silence. (Susanna Beaumont)
. Agnes Martin & John McLaughlin, lnverleith House, Royal Botanic Gardens, 248 2943, until 37 Oct. 77am-5pm, free.
I I I1 III l ‘3! \ The best exhibitions this
fortnight
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Construction The Boyle Family show replicas of the ground beneath our feet. Staggering. Construction, 76 5t Regent St, 553 7776, until 4 Sep. 77am—6pm, free.
Kiki Smith The famed New Yorker artist whose papier mache sculptures of the human body survey the fragility of life shows new work. Kiki Smith, Fruitmarket Gallery, 225 2383, until 77 Sep, Mon-Sat 77am-6pm, Sun noon-5pm, free
In Memory Of H.P. Lovecraft A trashed gallery and a sense of menace from artist Mike Nelson. See review on following pages. In Memory Of H. P. Lovecraft, Collective Gallery (Venue 80) 220 7260, until 26 Sep, Tue-Sat 7 7am—5.30pm, Thu 7 7am-8pm, Sun 2-4pm, free.
Festival 99 Numerous artists show work. Peter Sarkisian's installation causes heart racing. Festival 99, Edinburgh College Of Art (Venue 73) 227 6032, until 30 Aug, daily 70am—5pm. free.
Gary llume The king of household gloss who paints a high-colour world inhabited by the likes of Kate Moss and Patsy Kensit shows shiny, new work. Gary Hume: New Work, Dean Gallery (Venue 69) 624 6200, until 77 Oct, Mon-Sat 70am—5pm, Sun 77am-5pm. £2.50 (1? 7.50).
Callum lnnes Gently chilled, minimalist paintings by the artist who was shortlisted for the Turner Prize a few years back. Cal/um lnnes, Ingleby Gallery, 556 4447, until 77 Sep, Mon—Sat 70am-5pm, free. John Stezaker Child beauties deformed by photographic manipulation - angelic faces transformed to juvenile demons. john Stezaker, Portfolio Gallery (Venue 42) 220 797 7, until 4 Sep. Mon-Sat
70. 30am-5. 30pm, free.