Modern Hellespont - video
This footage was shot at the Ideal Home exhibition and then
re-edited. I am still fascinated by the endless character of the
swimmer's endeavour, something that connects to some of my earlier
performance works exploring the nature of tasks, often domestic in
character, which of necessity must be repeated time and time again.
The other aspect of this piece by which I am preoccupied is the
design of the pool itself - shaped to enhance the artificially
generated current against which the swimmer is pitted, it has a
geological dimension to it and has I think subliminally influenced
both the work I am now doing with sea bed mapping and also the
architectural models that form part of the submersion series.
The approach of the crowd to the edge of the tank, conjurers up the
image of a 19th century fairground attraction, featuring the
'maiden in the tank', or something similar.
Hellespont is the former name of the Dardanelles, the strait of
water that separates Europe from Asia. Legend has it that Leander
would swim across nightly to meet with his beloved Hero who would
light a lamp at the top of her tower to guide his way. One night
the wind blew out Hero's light and Leander was drowned. Hero threw
herself from the tower in grief and died as well. The poet, Lord
Byron became the first known person to swim the Hellespont in 1810.
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Exhibited: National Review of Live Art, Glasgow 1994 and ICA, London 1995
Commissioned by Firstsite. Exhibited: The Minories, Colchester 1996
Commissioned: Beaconsfield. Exhibited:St Thomas' Hospital, London. 1996
Commissioned: Now 96. Exhibited: Bonnington Gallery, Nottingham 1996
Commissioned: Hull Time Based Arts, Exhibited: Beverley Art Gallery, Yorkshire 1997
