THE MAGIC LANTERN.

Bennys Yard, Sheringham, Norfolk.
October 2014

Gallery

Intangible spaces, forgotten stories and hushed voices combine to explore early self-observation, individual histories and the boundaries between truth and fiction.
Discovered in an attic, a Magic Lantern and 100+ glass slides have provided the starting point for a collection of artworks. 

Hannelore Smith
The compelling action of moving the magic lantern in and out of focus has been the inspiration for exploring the point just before clarity.
The work derives from a combination of accidental marks, composition and textures found within the slides.
I try to capture the intangible, the ambiguous and the space between one moment and the next.

Rebecca Tough
The hair of the maiden appears in fairytales and folklore as a means of escape, disguise and deception. In Corryvrecken it is a symbol of purity and fidelity and is called into question as the ship of the Nordic Prince sinks and the tether is broken.
The vessels presented here embody a safe place, a secret place and a trap. The hair is used to lure you in, ensnare you and entangle you. Imagery refers to Penelope’s veil in The Odyssey, Fellini’s Casanova and the biblical tale of Samson and Delilah. The play between fantasy and reality, truth and fiction and fear and desire are played out in response to the mysterious and deceptive nature of the magic lantern.

Kerry Smith
I am interested in creating a new image through layering and juxtaposing elements within the lantern slides that would not occur together naturally.
I have used traditional methods of darkroom printing; developing high contrast negatives directly from the magic lantern slides as well as exploiting the antiquated quality of 35mm film.  I have selected imagery of figures and places that interest me compositionally.
The compressed images suggest ghostly apparitions, false narratives and invite the viewer to question the certainty of what they see.