SUSAN PHILIPSZ - THE DEAD

The Dead. The last short story of James Joyce from 1907 was adapted for cinema eighty years later by John Huston – hisepitaph and probably the most personal film he ever made. In the story the character of Gabriel Conroy witnesses the emotional response of his wife Greta to the performance of the Irish folksong The Lass of Aughrim. The song tells the story of a woman whom her husband abandons, and it reminds Greta of a heart broken ex-lover who died many years ago. Susan Philipsz effectsa further adaptation and derangement ofJoyce’s text by concentrating on this onekey moment, specifically fascinated with the theme of loss and solitude. She made twoversions, two readings of The Dead: a sound recording and a film. On the 12-inch vinyl she made recordings of her own a cappella versions of the Irish song. One version was transferred to 35mm film. The film was entirely comprised of a black screen, interrupted only by signs of physical wear of the film, reinforcing the notion of time passing. The absence of representation in the image creates a mental environment for the spectator,in which the own private memories and feelings of absence and loss can be situated, whereas the narrative and cinematic aspects of the song also challenge the collective memory.

35 mm.
sound
installation

This event is part of Black & White Outs, Monochromy and the Mental Image