David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :

'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)

(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.
(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.


31 July 2009

Greetings comrades, the image has now changed its status*

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[* Kodwo Eshun, February 2009]

Curated by Bridget Crone

"What is the status of the image today? Where does the image start and stop? Characterised by the speed of its dissemination, the image might be understood as the transmission of digital information, as a fleeting visual impression, as affective experience, as an important factor in the gaining of knowledge, expanded, compressed, archival, educative, celebratory and informal... It might be all or none of these. Contingent. Staged. A restitution. A refusal."

Greetings comrades... is a discussion around the question of the image (particularly in relation to the image in film/video and text) and its role in contemporary culture, its purpose and affect.

Greetings comrades... will take the form of two screening programmes of artists' film and video, and a reading by Justin Clemens from his new book, Villain; selected works from the screenings will also be exhibited in the gallery space alongside a single work on paper by Nikolas Pantazis, Neon Lights 2008.

[Screening programme one]
Cut up. Immersion. Immersion. Dispersion. Restitution. Immersion.
Sunday 2 August, 15.00 hrs
Justin Clemens, Villain 2009 (reading)
Pil and Galia Kollectiv, Another Proof of the Preceding Theory 2008
Maryam Jafri, A Staged Archive 2008
Cerith Wyn Evans, Degrees of Blindness 1988

[Screening programme two]
Immersion. Dispersion. Cut up. Cut up. Restitution.
Saturday 8 August, 15.00 hrs
Bea Gibson, A Necessary Music 2008
Melanie Gilligan, Crisis in the Credit System 2008
Amanda Beech, Statecraft 2008
Harun Farocki, Inextinguishable Fire 1969

Sunday, 9 August, 15.00hrs
Harun Farocki, Prison Images

Those interested in attending a reading and discussion group focussing on ideas of contingency in relation to the image and the event, please contact bridget_crone[at]mac.com


31 Pearson Street, Brunswick West, Vic 3055
(Cnr Pearson and Albert Streets : Map. ref. 29. 7-D)
Hours: Sat and Sun 1-5pm : Phone: (03) 9380 9184
www.ocularlabinc.com