Richard Grayson @ Matt's Gallery London
By Brad.
Hello Everyone.
This review appeared in Art Monthly 2.05 on page 283 and focused on Richard Grayson's piece entitled "Messiah".
What this guy has done is approached an Australian country and western band called 'The Midnight Amblers', and worked with them to develop 19 songs, the lyrics of which are taken from Handel's 'Messiah'. As the article states, Messiah occupies "a prominent place in British culture whilst encouraging the belief that Christ was indeed the person who would bring salvation to the world..".
If a country and western band performing Messiah isn't excellent enough, he's then gone on to present the band performing these songs via a large double screen video projection, one screen showing the band, the other playing the lyrics. The performance appears heartfelt in a country kind of way at first, then it becomes clear that the performers are actually miming to a pre recorded track. Mouth movements don't fit and the instruments on the soundtrack do not match those being played.
The review explains that this is all a reference to self proclaimed saviours Bush and Blair and the artificial, insincere and contrived garbage that they produce during 'speeches'. All well and good I say, but I just like the idea of a country and western band (in)sincerely miming to their own country and western versions of the Messiah whilst playing the wrong instruments. Could be about anything and I wouldn't mind a bit.
posted by Polly Dance at 9:19 PM
2 Comments:
Benjamin:
Maybe I'm being apathetic, but I liked the idea of the band miming better without the political connotations, but as you say, could be about anything and still be good.
andrew: did you know he used to run the eaf in adelaide? this was shown at the cacsa too - a good 'un. remind me to tell u about his videos describing difficult philosophical comments with leftovers from a drunken dinner party. that's about it - but fab and fumbling
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