Charlie Tweed – Notes I,II & III
26 February—27 March 2011
Private View:
Friday, 25 February, 6pm–9pm
Alma Enterprises
38 Glasshill Street
London
SE1 0QR
info [at] almaenterprises.com
T +44 (0)7894 078 994
www.almaenterprises.com
Alma Enterprises in collaboration with Spike Island, Bristol is proud to present Notes I, II & III a solo show by British artist Charlie Tweed. This exhibition will be Charlie Tweed’s first solo exhibition in London and also the London premier of the entire Notes I,II & III video series which will be presented as a single screen projection. The exhibition will also mark the launch of the Spike Island publication Notes From Here edited by curator Marie-Anne McQuay, which expands upon the Notes series.
The seven short videos, which make up Notes interrogate complex systems of control that utilise the language of fear in an attempt to logisticise and manage all forms of life. The “voice” of the videos appears to come from an ever present but anonymous collective who are orchestrating change on a mass scale; their use of the plural is deliberate, implying that “we” must have the same desires as them.
They encourage us to follow their “solutions” one of which involves building shelters on high up platforms and inciting mass flooding (“We are the Above”). Whilst “Navstevnici,” appears to focus on escape, encouraging the viewer to tunnel to “the safety of the sea” and “Where We are Now” calls for the capture of mere birds in order to “store them securely in places where they can operate freely”.
Utilising appropriated digital footage, digital processing techniques and a computerised voice each transmission remains calm and the mesmerising images and music draws us in to their apparently non-sensical world of action and intervention. Clearly influenced by a contemporary sci-fi sensibility they are difficult to place in terms of time or geographical location but the underlying feeling is that their source of broadcast is from a parallel position within the present moment.
Our compliance with these actions appears to be the only way that we can maintain our safety and prolong our survival. In the final video (“Zappisale”) there is an underlying feeling that this desperate situation is referencing our own condition when it says “there are not many routes left for people such as ourselves, this is why we are no one, no thing, non visible, intact.” This final work looks towards the destruction of all networks as the only way forward whilst also breaking down its own image until the screen is left as a single colour.
Curated by Benedict Tomlinson
Animate Projects also presents the Notes series online at animateprojects.org along with an interview with Charlie Tweed and an essay by Marie-Anne McQuay, Curator at Spike Island. With thanks also to Pavel Vancat and Galerie Klatovy Klenová, Czech Republic for commissioning “Notes II.” This exhibition was originally shown at Spike Island Bristol between October and December 2010 curated by Marie-Anne McQuay. The publication “Notes from here” published by Spike Island is available from the gallery.
Biography
Charlie Tweed is an artist and curator based in London. He graduated from Goldsmiths MFA Art Practice in 2008, was selected for dragged down into lowercase (Sommerakademie) at the Zentrum Paul Klee in 2008, was the winner of the Galerie Klatovy Klenova prize at the Start Point European Academy Awards 2008, the winner of the ECO 09 prize in 2009 and selected for Bloomberg New Contemporaries in 2007. In 2010 he had solo shows at Spike Island, Bristol and Animate Projects, London and was selected for the 2010/2011 residency programme at Grizedale Arts.
Notes I, II & III Running Order – Total 20:00 minutes
“Notes Part I” (2008) — 08:00mins
“We are the above,” “Where we are now,” “We must undo”
“Notes Part II” (2009) — 08:10mins
“Navstevnici,” “Singularity,” “Ionosphere!
“Notes Part III” (2010) — 03:50mins
“Zappisale”
Alma Enterprises is supported by ASC – The Artists’ Studio Company
The Gallery is open from Saturday to Sunday 12pm – 18:00pm or on Fridays by appointment—please call 07894 078 994 to arrange an appointment for Fridays.
For more information please contact info [at] almaenterprises.com / 07894 078 994
