Demolition/ Escape
Creator:
Keane, TinaContributor(s):
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Emily Keane-Thomas, Tim Arrowsmith, Gervaise Soeurge, Mark Warman
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This work is part of the rewind archive.
Duration: 5m 2s
Year: 1983Audio 1979
Original formats:3/4" U-Matic Lo Band
Media types:Video
Type of work:Multi media
Funding source: Arts Council of England/Great Britain
First exhibited: AIR Gallery, London, 1983
Technical details: Single Channel, colour video, with 9 blue neon signs of numbers, red spotlight and model train set Made at the Filmmakers Co op.
Poster advertising ‘SPECTRO’ an exhibition of works by Steve Hawley, Tina Keane and Steve Littman, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, October 8 – 29.pdf here
‘British/Canadian Video Exchange ’84: installations, performances and videotapes’, a brochure detailing the video exchange with information on participating artists and works, includes Keane’s ‘Demolition/Escape’.pdf here
Brochure/programme for the Video Installation Show 1983 Air Gallery, includes information on ‘Demolition/Escape.pdf here
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Quotes:
“A large model steam train moves back and forth across the floor, on the right of the track is a vertical coloumn of six monitors placed alternatively upside down so that the column resembles a steep staircase.The monitors show a sequence of the artist crawling with difficulty along the floor and then ascending a ladder. On the wall behind is a diagonally ascending line of blue neon numbers. ”Demolition/Escape”speaks of a childhood heavily infused with fantasy. The emotional struggle of the artist ”imprisoned” in the monitors is taunted by the old rational ”stare” of the train in its pointless movement back and forth, and by the equally empty rise of the numbers – rationality to no purpose except as an illusion of knowledge, and to that end a prison of sorts.” – LUX Online
My Girl’s a cor-or-ker,
She is a New Yor-or-ker,
I’d buy her anything to keep her in style.
She’s got a pair of eyesJust like two custard pies.
Hot Dog! That’s where my money goes!
Lyrics contained within the sound work which accompanies ‘Demolition/Escape’
“Demolition / Escape provides a rich texture of signifiers which the viewer can combine in various ways to create several layers of meaning. The work is rhythmically constructed from multiples of the number three; each art of the spatial triangle visually echoes this repeated unit. Three is a symbolic number referring, among other things, to the ages of man in the riddle of the Sphinx in the Oedipal myth… Her version of the song, however, is sung somewhat ironically by the innocent voice of a girl. It is among the work’s strength that, through subtle juxtapositions, it provokes without sentimentality the memory of our own childhood in unison with issues of adulthood.” Jean Fisher from Artforum, May 1983.
“The Video sound track is a ‘sound work’ Demolition originally commissioned by Audio Arts for ‘Live to Air’ 1980/1”- Tina Keane email to Stephen Partridge 10/02/2006