PETER DOWNSBROUGH

Peter Downsbrough’s (1940) work encompasses sculpture, graphics, photography, video, film, and books, and presents complex associations between architecture, text and typography. Only the bare essentials remain: form is often reduced to lines, colours are mostly barred. His videos explore movement and language in relation to time and space, representing as well as deconstructing urban and industrial space. By inserting word blocks into the landscape he has filmed, Downsbrough creates a linguistic twist, shifting the perception of the videos in relation to a ‘phrase’, which then functions as a ‘place’ in which the viewer can engage. His images reflect upon the past, present and possibly the future within a multitude of consequent manners of seeing, and his work consciously uses only the strictly necessary: for him line, plane, negative space and delimitation are essential elements for arriving at his imagery. The artist alternately touches upon a historical, critical or social discourse.

Works featured:
7 come 11
1980, 4’05", colour, English spoken.
Now With in Three Parts
1983, 4’04", colour, English spoken.
Occupied
2000, 18’37", b&w, English spoken.
PASS-ING]
2002, 12’35", b&w, sound.
Set [ing]
2003, 4’19", b&w, English running text/titles.
Thru
2003, 9’32", colour and b&w, sound.
Untitled 5.03
2003, 14’21", b&w, sound.
As ]
2003, 9’20", b&w, sound.
FROM [ TO ]
2003, 14’30", b&w, sound.
THEN TO
2004, 5’36", b&w, sound.
ET / C
2004, 8’23", b&w, English running text/titles.
GROUP – ED]
2004, 35’43", colour and b&w, English running text/titles.
HERE
2004, 12’55", colour and b&w, English running text/titles.
AND
2004, 11’7", colour and b&w, English running text/titles.
AS...
2004, 12’21", colour and b&w, English running text/titles.
A]S
2005, 2’53", colour and b&w, sound.
AND [BACK
2005, 4’37", b&w, English running text/titles.
OPEN ]ING
2005, 7’55", b&w, English running text/titles.
OUT – SIDE
2005, 10’14", b&w, sound.
AS] IN
2006, 9’42", b&w, sound.
] AND HERE
2007, 23’54", colour and b&w, French spoken, English running text/titles.
THEN
2008, 3’15", colour and b&w, English running text/titles.
A] PART
2009, 11’50", b&w, English running text/titles.
inter[POSE
 2009, 4’52", b&w, English running text/titles.
I, Y, AND
2010, 6’30", b&w, English running text/titles.

Related events

• OPEN ARCHIVE #2 - REFLECTIONS ON CONTEMPORARY ART, MEDIA CULTURE AND ARCHIVING

This event is part of ARTIST IN FOCUS - SCREENINGS