The Persistence of Vision
By paul holmes
Video
h: 1
w: 1
d: 1
(cms).
The Persistence of Vision was inspired by the way, in contemporary life, that text seems to have become a pre-eminent form of communication, and yet appears so inefficient at delivering nuanced information. In this 'filmed' screenplay, each word flashes on and off on a ticker, and seems to 'persist' in the mind's eye as the next one appears, creating a continuity of sense for the viewer/reader. The work appears to be dependent in its aesthetic on the 'persistence of vision', which, although now evidently discredited as a physiological phenomenon has nevertheless been widely considered within film criticism to be the foundation of the aesthetic of cinema itself.
The script, which was written by the artist, revolves around a lonely Gaelic-speaking boy in the nineteenth century Outer Hebrides, whose obsession with his reflection leads him into conflict, jeopardy, and finally friendship with an English-speaking incomer girl. The narrative is preoccupied with ideas of looking (as is the cinema), selfhood and otherness and, as neither character can speak coherently to the other, about the inadequacy of language.
To enquire about this artwork, please go to the artist page.
Go to Artist Page
