Thursday 14 April 2011

Visitor by Igloo (Bruno Martelli and Ruth Gibson)

I've just been to see an exhibition at Lakeside here in Nottingham.

I'd been told I would like it and that there was a wooden building in the gallery, so I was quite excited about it before I got there because I love wooden buildings. I also knew that there was a surprise inside, but deliberately didn't look online beforehand because I wanted to see it fresh.

This photo in the entrance hall promised good things. 
As for the main event? Well, I'm not generally a fan of installation pieces but this one I loved.

It is a reconstruction of a trapper's cabin in Canada, but not built in logs. It is a plywood construction and to that they have applied photographic imagery to the outside, so there are photos of logs and photos of windows, photos of bricks on the chimney.

When you go inside you see half a rowing boat. You are invited to sit in it and row, and as you row you take yourself 'round' a lake. There are actual photos of a lake up on a screen in front of you and they have used interactive technology so that you can look up and see the beautiful star filled sky or around at the shores with all the pine trees. 
Every now and again a star falls into the water of the lake, which ripples gently. It's mesmerising and induces a bit of a trance-like state.
All images copyright Martelli and Gibson
 If you want more information about the artists please go to their website.

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