LUKE FOWLER - PORTRAIT STUDIES OF TIMES, PEOPLE AND SPACES

The activities of Luke Fowler (1978), which include installations and videos, working with the rock bands Lied Music and Rude Pravo, and also running the Shadazz experimental electronic music platform, are all rooted in countercultural movements. In his audiovisual work, Fowler blurs the boundaries between short film, experimental video, cinematic art and documentary. He gives a major role to sound and makes frequent use of found footage, photos and archive material. In this way, and also partly by using split-screen and picture-within-a-picture and other collage techniques, he creates works with several layers of interpretation. Portrait Studies of Times, People and Spaces offers a kaleidoscopic look at Fowler’s relatively early oeuvre. However, the theme running through the programme is the notion of the portrait. For example, The Way Out, made in association with the artist Kosten Koper, revolves around Xento Jones, a forgotten punk-rocker from the 80s and a founding member of the band The Homosexuals. Although George, Lester, David, Anna and Helen are all named after people, these shorter works provide a sketch more of the environment these people live in. In the final series, Paddington Collaboration, An Abbeyview Film and Another Day of Gravity, the focus is again on neighbourhoods and districts. Human activities here blur into shades who are absorbed into and become forever part of the landscape.

An Abbeyview Film
2008, 17’12", 16mm, colour, sound
Anna
2009, 3’07", video, colour, sound
David
2009, 3’10", video, colour, sound
Another Day of Gravity
2008, 5’01", video, colour, sound
Paddington Collaboration (with Anna McLauchlan)
2007, 3’16", video, colour, English spoken
George
2008, 4’25", video, colour, sound
The Way Out (with Kosten Koper)
2003, 32’53", video, colour, English spoken
Lester
2009, 3’10", video, colour, sound
Helen
2009, 3’12", video, colour, sound