FAD review by Claire Flannery, published online in May 2010. Shake me, Victoria Browne and High Light Bell, Katherine Jones took place at KALEID in Shoreditch between the 5th-30th May 2010.
I was very sorry to miss the premier of Victoria Browne’s video piece on the wall opposite KALEID editions on Redchurch street. The projection must have looked spectacular shown in its scaled up splendour on the red brick wall. It is however available to view on KALEID editions’ website and it’s not too pixelated on full screen.
The rapid, jerky and decisive camera dollying above the surface of her monochrome prints is reminiscent of 1930s, 40s artist films. According to the blurb ‘Browne’s labour intensive topography invokes string theorists’ description of the Multiverse as a mountainous spacetime divided into an infinity of valleys…’. This is a little technical for me, but it is nice to be introduced to scientific theories through the forgiving world of art. The pace and the dialogue between the camera focusing in and out on the overlaid shapes play with the depth of field. This can be replicated to a lesser extent with our own eye as we let it ramble in and out and across the original prints – included in the exhibition.
Victoria’s work co-exhibits with that of Katherine Jones. Katherine’s lantern book is extremely delicate and tender, a pop-up book for sensitive adults, and her High Light Bell prints also alluring; architectural fantasies in rural and urban settings which seem to depict ghosts of buildings with an obvious nod towards Japanese prints.
Katherine’s delectable upside down paper city hangs suspended on a mobile, casting subtle shadows on each other as the breeze from the door gently answers their plea to be shaken. Its whiteness against the predominant white gallery space could allow you to ignore it, but it proves very seductive when paid the attention it deserves. I was struck by Saatchi fever the more I looked at the swaying paper buildings. You know you love a piece of art when you think ‘where could I hang it and how could I hang it…that is when I have a house to hang it in…’ Unlike many contemporary art galleries where the art is merely looked at by most of us and bought by a select few, at KALEID you can actually buy. The democracy of KALEID editions pervades – from the open, friendly atmosphere (there is a distinct lack of steal door and buzzer and mute phoney behind a pristine white desk) to the democratic price list. Victoria and Katherine’s work is equally accessible on different levels – from the sensual to the cerebral to the possessive.
Time is running out for the physical KALEID project space, it will close and go nomad in July. This, the penultimate exhibition on Redchurch Street is a subtle and seductive treat. Don’t miss it and certainly don’t miss KALEID.
