DRIFT '08
Illuminate Productions
London's First Annual Art Exhibition on The River Thames
Artist
Margaret Evangeline (United States of America)
Title
Saved From Drowning
Medium
Steel Painting
Location
River Thames Opposite the TATE Modern
"The mirrored surface of this large, interactive sculpture rises and falls with the tide, and captures the activities and audience on the surrounding riverscape."
Please see Iluminate Productions for information on all 7 contemporary art installations as a part of Drift '08.
I must confess. I was interviewed about this piece, along with my fellow American "drayma" student for Korean television before either of us had even realized we were standing in front of a piece of art. This piece, on first glance, reads as something practical (trash-strainer-thing?) floating on the Thames that is accidentally beautiful. And I love it all the more for that.
I (apparently) could talk circles about the site specificity of this piece long before reading it's title or blurb. They were pretentious circles, but they came from an instant gut reaction of joy to find this moving smashed and glorious mirror floating, reflecting the gray sky, my wan face, and the rippling water all in one distorting swoop. The truth is that it is a touching tribute to the drowned, bringing us down to their level by reflecting both what we see (St. Paul's on the one side, the TATE Modern on the other, and of course, ourselves on the shore) and the waves that encompass the dead.
I love this project. Has anyone else gone on a walk through the sites of Drift '08?
No comments:
Post a Comment