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BBC footage from our Barriers South Exhibition, 2008
Click links to watch films from BBC South Today and South East Today
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7636737.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7636723.stm
Ashcroft Arts Centre, March 1st 'til April 11th, 2011
Memory and Conflict
This exhibition looks at areas that have been informed and changed by military presence, and conflict in different geographical areas. It is a continuation of a series of exhibitions 131 Design undertook in 2008 called Barriers South, looking at fortification and castles along the south coast, protecting our shores. Barriers South included large scale installations and projections on castle walls, imbuing each image with the grandiose, as it was viewed at 20 feet wide on a windswept parade ground, or underground battery. The success of the touring exhibition (it generated over 20,000 paid visits) was overtly informed by location and environment - not strictly by the individual image.
In this collection of images, taken over the last 18 months we wanted to encapsulate our interest and vision with the individual moment. How it felt to be deep in a meat market (Souk) in the middle of Syria surrounded by inquisitive eyes, and ancient voyeurs; Damascus has often been erroneously described as the oldest inhabited city in the world, which makes you think that nothing has ever happened without somebody in Damascus knowing about it. Walking the alleyways and streets of Damascus, Aleppo or Homs, you can’t help but be overawed by their age, and humbled by their history.
One image in the exhibition of a man walking back through the Souk, has a strange polka dot pattern projected across its entire length. This is from holes in the roof made by French fighter planes, and the millions of rounds that rained down on Damascus during one of the countless occupations, invasions, or interventions.
Having been transfixed by such films as Apocalypse Now and Platoon, we wanted to record the shocking beauty of Vietnam and feel the brutality of the ‘American’ war, (as the Vietnamese call it). We wanted to experience the ‘experience’ for ourselves. It was staggering. The War is celebrated as a great victory over the Americans, and what shone through was the dignity of the Vietnamese people and their strength. We photographed everyday life rather than the War left behind. The land is beautiful, the Mekong is powerful. Of course it was staggering.
Images from Saigon show a huge bustling metropolis, covered by millions of motorcycles, that like the Mekong running through the country, run ceaselessly day and night, 20 abreast, in either direction, and across your path. The shock of arriving at Saigon airport is overpowering to say the least. The heat, the smell, the traffic, everything conspires to open your eyes, and from a photographic point of view, is inspiring in the extreme. Interestingly after the initial shock has worn off you experience the tranquil beauty of the back streets and museums, almost entirely memories to past conflicts.
Like most of Vietnam and Syria, Saigon takes your breath away and leaves you appalled at its violent and heroic past. Just like the south coast really.
Sunset, from Qalaat Ibn Maan, Arabic Castle, Palmyra, Syria, June 2010. To view more images from the exhibition click here.
Our second exhibition curated for Westbury Manor, Local Heroes, starting 15th February, now moves to Gosport Gallery.
'Six Days That Rocked The World - The Isle of Wight Festival 1970'.
Westbury Manor Museum, 84 West Street, Fareham PO16 OJJ. 5th June -28th August. Open Monday to Friday 10am-5pm. Saturday 10am-4pm. Admission Free. Tel. 01329-822063
131 worked with Westbury Manor to create the exciting new exhibition in Fareham. One hundred photos from the bestselling book, ‘Six Days That Rocked the World’ will to be shown at the first exhibition to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the world’s largest rock festival. The festival starred giants of rock music including The Who, The Doors, Leonard Cohen, Miles Davis and Joan Baez. It was also the last major performance by Jimi Hendrix before his death soon afterwards.
'Light Nights' at Westbury Manor - increased footfall from around 150 visitors on a Saturday to 980 on one day!!!
Kids were hanging on the railings to watch the event and the actual performances attracted over 400 people. It has generated another commission for 131 Design working with Westbury Manor.
 
'Barriers South'
Gail and Dan from 131, exhibited their own photographic artwork in 2009 under the name 'Barriers South'. They toured the south coast from Hurst Castle in Dorset to Eastbourne Redoubt in East Sussex. This series of exhibitions was supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and was in partnership with 131 Design.
'Barriers South' used photography, projection, installation and sound, in 5 venues along the south coast - Eastbourne Redoubt, Newhaven Fort, the Crypt Gallery, Seaford, Spitbank Fort & Hurst Castle. Each venue has been used in times of conflict, as a place of fortification. The exhibitions focused on how its presence and activity had affected the landscape, people and surrounding areas.
The exhibitions explored these alternative 'art gallery' spaces and what was relevant to that particular location - resulting in 5 different exhibitions, with a common theme.
Dan & Gail showed, using still and animated images, the historical and cultural significance of these venues, in contemporary ways. They also showed how they link together and were part of the southern defences of Britain.
The series was an ongoing exploration of how our activities inform the visual landscapes around us. All images from the exhibition, website and blog are for sale as framed and unframed prints, canvasses or as a ‘film’ in ditigal frames. See contacts page for where to call.
'Light Nights' is a series of mixed-media installations at the Round Tower, Old Portsmouth at the end of March.
  
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