Visual art exhibitions and events with a platform for critical writing
Modern Art Oxford, Oxford
27 March – 2 May
Reviewed by: David Trigg
Consisting of recent work by three artists using film and video and utilising just the downstairs gallery and foyer of Modern Art Oxford, 'Recall' investigated ways in which history is constructed, edited, remembered and received. Although most of the work employed documentary style, each artist approached the genre in his own unique way.
After initially appearing to be a standard documentary film, Jeremy Deller's Memory Bucket presents a series of apparently disparate encounters with people and places in an area of Texas. From a Waco siege survivor, to tourists visiting the site, to a coffee house frequented by President Bush, this awkward but engaging piece relies heavily on the viewer's knowledge of the past and of current political events. The lack of coherent narrative and the juxtaposing of different scenes allows for a myriad of readings, leading the viewer to question the way in which history is constructed and interpreted.
Phil Collins' pieces, signs, symptoms – Jenny and signs, symptoms – Sean feature Gulf War veterans frankly describing their experiences and the subsequent effects of Gulf War Syndrome; although Collins
does little more than present to us the evidence of these personal testimonies.
Perhaps the most captivating piece, Images from the Corner by Jasmila Zbanic, recalled the artist's own memories and experiences of the Bosnian War. The film explored the fate of Bilja, a beautiful young woman badly injured by shelling. Through a series of personal accounts from people who knew her story, Zbanic tells a very poignant and moving account of the harsh realities of modern warfare, whilst questioning the motives of those responsible for documenting and mediating such events.
'Recall' was a modest yet thoroughly engaging exhibition that rewarded extended attention although disappointingly some pieces suffered from technical glitches, which slightly spoilt the experience of an otherwise strong show.
Writer detail:
David Trigg is an artist, writer and
musician based in Bath.
Venue detail:
Modern Art Oxford
30 Pembroke Street, Oxford OX1 1BP
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