Interviewed by Robert Dingle, 2009-10
What was your relationship to that particular group of selectors (Guy Brett, Pavel Buchler and Yinka Shonibare) and Guy Brett in particular?
TK - I had exhibited a work in an exhibition in Cambridge curated by Pavel Buchler many years ago. Yinka Shonibare I have met a few times and I know his work better than I know him. Guy Brett who has known me since the 70's has always been supportive and taken an interest in my art, as well as writing reviews and articles about the work over the years. In 1995 he came to see 'Transposition' a double screen video projection installation that was showing at the Plummet Gallery run by artist William Shoebridge which was located on the top floor of a tower block in Islington London. The exhibition was titled 't and t' and was a two-person show. Guy was very interested in the work and its' format.
What do you remember about your work, Transposition, 1995, entering the Arts Council Collection in 1999?
TK - The work started life as a commission for a performance work for the Museum of Modern Art Vienna 1990. Where it was projected onto the backs of twenty five men moving along a travellator. The performance determined the format, the letterbox shape and two screens, as the image had to fit onto the performers backs. As we could never find a travellator in London the work became a double screen video projection. Guy Brett was very interested in the work and its meaning. That it expressed emotions from happiness to beauty and decay. I think he thought it was interesting that technology could give you that timelessness you sometimes get from a sculpture or a painting. Guy contacted me and asked if I could install the double screen installation work Transposition for the Arts Council and their selectors. As he thought it was an important work that represented a new departure. I installed the work for an evening in a studio at CSM Charing Cross Rd. and invited the selectors and the Arts council to view the work. A representative from the Arts Council and Guy Brett came to the presentation, as well as members of staff, students and some friends. It turned into an enjoyable PV evening.
At what point were you part of the Arts Council specialist panel for Artist's Film and Video funding? What was your role and why was your work not seen as art by the Collection at that time?
TK - I was a member of the Arts Council's specialist panel for Artist's Film and Video funding and this kind of work was never seen as art for the Collection at that time. It might have been because of the technology it needed? Also another question was film or video Installation seen as fine art?
I was a member of the Artist's Film and Video selection panel for grant awards twice; first time mid 80s and early second 90s. Moving image at that time was not seen as fine art or a collectable item, it was seen more as performance art and not necessarily in gallery situations. It wasn't a still object to meditate on, it was performative, in-between fine art, cinema and theatre. Since then fine art has extended its perimeters (thinking). The Artist's Film and Video selection panel had nothing to do with the Arts Council Collection. The grants were for artists to make works for the cinema and installations for the gallery. The London Film-Makers Co-op and London Video Arts distributed the work to International Film and Video Festivals, so the work was shown world wide. The panel members were selected for their knowledge of artists' moving image work, i.e. writers, curators, and artists.
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