CONTEXT 3:
DOUGLAS GORDON:
All I need is a little bit of everything

While I was developing the work @24framesoftruth, I realised that the Gagosian Gallery was hosting an exhibition for Douglas Gordon and showcased his past and recent works, including 24 Hour Psycho. I decided to go and experience the work that I took inspiration from. At the exhibition space, the work was part of the encyclopedic installation Pretty much every film and video work from about 1992 until now... (1999–). Displayed on a vintage TV instead of a screen, the 24-hour film was in a much smaller scale than its original form. Compared with my impression of the work after reading quite a few writings about it, I found the work losing some of its affect with the current display. The small size almost completely depleted horror elements from the original film, and the slow changing of expression from the visages was no longer mesmerising. It made me aware of how the form and size matter in the presentation of video work, which was why I insisted to present @24framesoftruth with a projector instead of a TV screen as suggested by others. In spite of this, I could understand this arrangement as the film was presented as part of an encyclopedic installation, in which works were being viewed on different devices, mostly deviated from their original forms. The film was not viewed as an individual work, but an integral part of his practice. It is a clever idea for Gordon to present his vast collection of video works as a video sculpture, as the form guides the audience to walk around it, thus completing a circle of his creative journey. The shape of a circle is also metaphoric to the concept of time, the main subject of his quest. Its form as a video sculpture also pushed me to consider different arrangements of screens and devices when I developed the work Relativity for the MA Interim Show.

Installation views from the gallery's website