Impossible Choreographies
Living Room 2011: Metropolis Dreaming
Auckland Council Public Art Event
Auckland, New Zealand
Auckland CBD, 13 April 2011 – 17 April 2011
Living Room 2011: Impossible Choreographies, Auckland CBD, 13 April 2011 – 17 April 2011
Gregory Bennett and Michael Hodgson will use digital animation at an architectural scale to re-invent the Eastern façade of Queen Street’s iconic Smith & Caughey building, built in 1927 and designed by American architect Roy Lippincott. Situated in close proximity to the entertainment facilities of The Edge, this monolithic Metropolis-style tower provides an ideal canvas on which to project Bennett’s performing figures, which explore complex group dynamics, inspired in part by the Art Deco-era cinematic dance extravaganzas of Busby Berkeley.
Bennett’s most recent works situate figures in architectural tableau, with each group contributing a specific function to a mysterious, greater purpose – all cogs in a big city structure. Developed into a site-specific outdoor presentation with Michael Hodgson, a world-specialist in large-scale projection events and a renowned sound artist, together they explore the choreographic interplay between the moving figure and architecture, which structures the way we negotiate a city.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Gregory Bennett (NZ)
Gregory Bennett has a background in both fine arts practice, and moving image production and post-production. A senior lecturer at AUT University, his major research focus is 3-D Animation and Animation theory and practice, including developments in Motion Capture and 3-D stereoscopic projection. His digital animations combine animation and cybernetic theory with the early Hollywood choreography of Busby Berkeley. The tight formation movements of his figures recall the dynamic cubism of the Futurists while their combined routines question group dynamics and collective intelligence. Bennett has an MFA (First Class Honours) from The University of Auckland and is represented by Two Rooms.
Michael Hodgson (NZ)
Michael Hodgson’s first official public output was a run of 17 hand-lettered experimental cassettes as Tinnitus in July 1986. In the 1990s he became a pioneer of the burgeoning VJ scene, providing visuals for performances by groups including The Headless Chickens and Supergroove. He also founded multimedia events Rotate Your State and Soliton. Now an acclaimed electronic musician with duo Pitch Black, Hodgson is passionate about the relationship between sound, movement and image and has a long history of collaborating with artists, choreographers and theatre directors. An internationally sought-after specialist, Hodgson has helped produce A/V content at events for Louis Vuitton, NBC Television, Lancôme and many more, not to forget Tourism NZ’s Inflatable Rugby Ball.
ARTIST TALK
An artist talk will take place on Thursday, 14 April 2011, 6pm at the Art Lounge, Auckland Art Gallery, corner Lorne Street and Khartoum Place (entrance off Lorne Street)