Janet Cardiff's 'Audio Walks', a look at locative media

In my media class today, we looked at the history and ideas in locative media and mapping. We were shown this great example of locative media by artists Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller whose collection of works titled Audio Walks demonstrate the use of audio as a way of telling a narrative or imaginary stories that relate to a particular, physical space in which the participant is required to move and interact with through a series of audio clips.

Cardiff's introduction to the Audio Walks sums it up perfectly:

The format of the audio walks is similar to that of an audioguide. You are given a CD player or Ipod and told to stand or sit in a particular spot and press play. On the CD you hear my voice giving directions, like “turn left here” or “go through this gateway”, layered on a background of sounds: the sound of my footsteps, traffic, birds, and miscellaneous sound effects that have been pre-recorded on the same site as they are being heard. This is the important part of the recording. The virtual recorded soundscape has to mimic the real physical one in order to create a new world as a seamless combination of the two. My voice gives directions but also relates thoughts and narrative elements, which instills in the listener a desire to continue and finish the walk.

I found that this was such a great idea and method for storytelling that combines the aural pleasure and effect of listening to a soundscape while moving through a space which corresponds to the audio. After hearing Her Long Black Hair (2004), I loved this idea of dislocation between time and space, the relationship between the physicality of a space and our perception of imaginary space through audio. I'll have to do a bit more research on this form of locative media and mapping to find out if there was something similar in Sydney. It would definitely be worth looking out for and experiencing.

Christian Marclay's 'Telephones', 1995

A multitude of characters, one single phone call, many different emotions. This great little clip is a 7-minute long 'compilation' of snippets from scenes that involve a phone call - from dialing a number to hanging up - from films that span the history of Hollywood as far as interests go.

I love the moment when every conversation becomes silent, as each character listens back into the earpiece and react in their own way. We might not necessarily know the contexts of these films to completely understand what is being said and felt, but I feel therein lies the magic of this piece.

4A Presents Cinema Alley 2012: Double Vision

On the topic of Asian/Asian-Australian film distribution and the embracing of real multicultural diversity in Australia, 4A Centre For Contemporary Asian Art hold an annual film event called Cinema Alley. Held on Parker St, an alleyway in the heart of Chinatown only a short distance from the gallery's centre, Cinema Alley brings contemporary visual art from both Asian and Australian video artists into the setting of an urban landscape such as Sydney's city. The event hopes to generate and encourage discussions about Asian culture in the city.

 Cinema Alley packs a huge crowd!

This year, the event features the theme 'Double Vision'. Two screens will be spread across Parker St to show both double-channel and single-channel video formats. The two screens will 'create a layering and collision of images', and engage audiences in a new way of experiencing cinema.

 Hiwa K. 'Moon Calendar' (2007) still from video

Some of the artists featuring this year are Peter Alwast, Hiwa K, Kiran Subbaih, and Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba. The night also features two Chinese artists, Miao Xiaochun and Liang Wei. I've always thought of contemporary Chinese art as being refreshing given the context of China's rapidly changing landscape, so this is great to hear and I certainly can't wait to see what is in store at this year's event.

Amongst the list of artists is Apichatpong Weerasethakul, the highly controversial, contemporary Thai director who's latest film, the beautifully surreal Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010) was rewarded the top prize at Cannes Film Festival in 2010, the Palme d'Or. His short film 'Faith' from 2006 will be screening at this year's Cinema Alley.

Apichatpong's 'Faith' (2006) stills from video

Cinema Alley is a free, one-night only event and is being held this Friday evening, February 3rd. While the event is unfortunately sold out, there is a waiting list which you can join and if upon the chance that places are withdrawn from then there is a chance to get in. 

The event coincides with City of Sydney's Chinese New Year celebrations. This will be my first time visiting the annual event, and I'm hoping it will be an enlightening one!

Cinema Alley 2012 - Double Vision

Friday 3 February

@ Parker St, HAYMARKET

8PM Screening / 7PM Bar Opens

Organised by 4A Centre For Contemporary Asian Art

website / book tickets

FEATURING

PETER ALWAST
HIWA K
NASIM NASR
LIANG WEI
MIAO XIAOCHUN
JUN NGUYEN-HATSUSHIBA
KIRAN SUBBAIAH

APICHATPONG WEERASETHAKUL
+ SELECTIONS FROM  THE 4A ANIMATION PROJECT

Picasso goes to the movies

I'm continuously looking for opportunities to watch films that we may not necessarily have great access to in DVD or theatrical release, especially older classics from our yesteryear. The Art Gallery of New South Wales is great for this, and I felt I needed to share with you their fantastic free film events.

The gallery regularly program films around their current exhibitions. They have recently opened a huge exhibition of Picasso's works called Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris, and with this is a selection of films from the 20th Century that span alongside Picasso's ground-breaking, revolutionary career. Here are some of my picks:


Bicycle Thieves (1949)

This is one of those seminal films we are taught about in film studies. Directed by Vittoria de Sica, this film is at the front of Italian Neorealism, a film movement characterised by stories about the poor and working classes. The story follows a billposter whose bicycle is stolen as he is on the job. How he relies on this bicycle is close to heartbreaking, as without it he cannot work and support his family. I never had the chance to see at uni (as I was probably sleeping through that 10am film lecture), and I think now is my chance. 

Screening: Wednesday 30 November (2pm, 7:15pm), Sunday 4 December (2pm)

Mr. Hulot's Holiday (1952)

I once saw a documentary on Jacques Tati, and it was ever since then that I was adamant to see what he was all about. Madman Entertainment released many of Tati's classics including Mon Oncle, but at hefty prices. It's not unusual as many foreign films distributed here are simply hard to get, hard to sell and therefore come at a 'hard' price. Tati is one of the great masters of humour, through the use of tightly choreographed comedy skits and sound effects, I have a feeling Mr. Hulot's Holiday will bring me back to the roots of comedy in film.

Screening: Wednesday 14 December (2pm, 7:15pm), Sunday 18 December (2pm)

Breathless (1959)

Ah, finally something I've seen, and love. This is Jean Luc-Godard's first feature film, and has become one of the most influential films in history. You could argue that this was the film that set off the French New Wave, a new breed of filmmaking. It was 'the anti', the movement that completely disregarded the structure of the film narrative, and was the true rebel without a cause in low budget, no rules filmmaking. And it's for this very reason that Breathless is a favourite and must-see for anyone.

Screening: Wednesday 15 February (2pm, 7:15pm), Sunday 19 February (2pm)

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

How I got away with not having seen this film, I don't know and am incredibly embarrassed about it. This is the film that defines all film experiences, I've been told. 2001: A Space Odyssey is Stanley Kubrick's most famous and influential film and again challenges the science-fiction genre. This is said to be a highly transcendental experience for any one, film enthusiast or not. This - is a must.

Screening: Wednesday 21 March (2pm, 7:15pm), Sunday 25 March (2pm)

See the rest of the Picasso goes to the movies film program as part of the exhibition here. Don't forget that these are free screenings!