CONVERSATIONS WITH THE OTHER SIDE

 

Production year: 2009 -2012

 

Format: Live sessions, drawing and video

 

Participants: A collaboration with artist Ben Judd

 

Exhibited at David Roberts Art Foundation, London - KINO KINO Center for Contemporary Art and Film, Sandnes, Norway, amongst others.

 

From our study of traditional forms of mediumship, hypnosis and religious rituals we are developing a new, playful and open ritual together. We take it in turns to go into a trance-like state in order to contact someone on The Other Side and work collaboratively with them. When in trance, we enter a parallel gallery space and describe this space to the other person. This person then attempts to bridge the gap between the actual (outer) room where the video is being made and the (inner) room that is being envisioned by the person in trance. This is done through conversation and a series of actions and floor-drawings which mirror the virtual room described.

 

In most cases a person or group from the ‘Other Side’ appear in this virtual space and talk to us about their perception of the world that we have entered. These encounters are extraordinarily tangible when experienced and take on a peculiar nature; we often see people with very unfamiliar human features and engage in a dialogue where the language and concepts is utterly alien to us. The meetings are both humorous and magical, as we struggle to understand each other and stretch our frameworks to be able to take on this utterly different perspective.

 

Through the live event we invite the audience to participate in the encounter with the Other Side. These sessions takes the form of a Q&A panel discussion, where we open for the viewers to linger in-between a state of questioning and engagement and give them the opportunity of direct participation.