London Metropolitan University   2009/2010

Abigail Sidebotham

Film mimics the instantaneous and irreversible spontaneity of living flux and when we watch film we have a sense that what is unfolding is happening in the current moment, even though we know that what we see is a reproduction, which has the potential to be repeated again and again. This knowledge creates a division where the viewer is both a witness to something unfolding whilst also kept at a distance.

In ‘Invisible Edges’ I photographed the reflective surface of a black piece of glass and then mounted the photograph of this reflection behind a clear piece of glass. The photograph and clear glass where presented the same size and in the same place as the black glass had been, this allowed the ‘real’ and photographed reflection to be experienced instantaneously. As the viewer moved around the piece, the double act of ‘real’ and photographed reflection engaged in a continuous changing composition with each other and only merged once the viewer was positioned at the same point the camera had been during production.

During my residency I want to develop ‘Rise and Fall Flux’ based on this principle but instead of using photographs I will project a film behind the glass. My aim within ‘Rise and Fall Flux’ is to create a sense of physical closeness and emotional separateness. The viewers, who are reflected in the glass, share the same space as the film yet they remain distant, separated by time and technological process.

The opportunity of this residency will enable me to determine a way to project the film behind the glass, realise a suitable and safe way to support the glass and also explore the different avenues the film could go.

I plan to extensively document ‘Rise and Fall Flux’ and use this documentation to approach potential exhibiting spaces.