breda beban – little films to cry to

A single screen presentation at Peer

 

touchdown

A staging of films and photographs at Saint Augustine's Tower, Mare Street, London E8

 

12 September - 26 October 2003

 

 

Little Films to Cry to was a new single screen presentation by Breda Beban at Peer's gallery space, 99 Hoxton Street. In terms of genre Little Films to Cry to are home movies; in terms of subject matter they are invested with tragic events and sadness; in terms of production they are happy accidents.

 

Touchdown, Breda Beban's new commission for Peer was staged at the late thirteenth-century tower of St. Augustine's in central Hackney. At the heart of the work five luminescent screens show the head and shoulders of women before, during and immediately after orgasm. The work also comprises two series of images on lightboxes of airport chapels and paths created in urban environments by repeated footfall.

 

The starting point for Touchdown was a note written by Cezanne: "The centre, where is the centre?" In response, Beban identifies and films states of being, making visible the unseen images of passion and spiritual human consciousness.

 

The sound element for Touchdown is by artist and composer Conor Kelly and is produced from recordings collected in Duino, Italy, where the films were shot by cinematographer Robby Muller. Muller is best known for his work with a number of influential directors including Lars von Trier and Wim Wenders.

 

Touchdown was supported by The Henry Moore Foundation, Bloomberg and Sheffield Hallam University and was presented with the kind cooperation of The Hackney Historic Buildings Trust.

Press
Circa 106 review
Time Out review
The Guardian review