Travelling to America

I received a positive decision on an Arts Council bid to research venues and develop work from the Mutations project for touring. I am really excited about this opportunity, which will involve a visit to the USA to promote Continuum at ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.

Leaving today!

ArtPrize - September 22nd - October 10th 2010

 

www.grmuseum.org

www.artprize.org

ArtPrize update & official event poster

I am currently preparing the planetarium work Continuum for shipping to the US for ArtPrize. The larger Planetarium screens - Grand Rapids Public Museum, where the work will show measures 50' across - demand that the work be created at 4000 x 4000 pixels. To transfer the flat video onto the Evans & Sutherland projection system used by the museum it must first be broken down, saving each of the works 23,220 individual frames as an individual image file (dome master). The work can then be uploaded onto the system where it is further de-constructed before being re-compiled for display across 6 projectors, which blend the work seamlessly for the hemispherical screen.

Changeling reviewed in The Journal

Review of on current Globe shows by David Whetstone, download PDF here.

Continuum Screening at ArtPrize 2010

Very pleased to receive final confirmation today that Continuum will screen during ArtPrize 2010 at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, Michigan. The event will take place September 22nd - October 10th and Continuum will show throughout on a cycle with 2 other planetarium works.

The work will also screen later this year at ThinkTank in Birmingham, more details to follow...

Continuum

Continuum from Paul Grimmer on Vimeo.
Continuum is an immersive fulldome video work with 5.1 surround soundscape created specifically for immersive planetarium environments. The work is a meditation on notions of beauty, perfection and difference focusing on a body, physically and digitally modified and transformed. As the body moves in and out of focus, suspended, it is glimpsed, not seen, taken apart, re-ordered and replicated into new, exotic forms. The work was developed during residencies with the Medical Research Council, Virology Unit (Glasgow 2008), Allenheads Contemporary Arts (Northumberland 2009) and Dance City (Newcastle upon Tyne 2009).

Mentor/Outside Eye: Fiona Wright
Movement Research/Director of Photography: Wendy Erickson
Camera: Ian Bailey
Camera Assistant: Aaron Blenkin
Grip: Paul Kemp
Lighting: James Froment
Prosthetic and Make Up: Satinder Chumber
Costume Design: Jo Brossman
Technical Support: Daniel Barella
Storyboards: Paul Grimmer
Editor: Andrzej Wojtas
Dome Technician: Chris Hudson (Centre for Life)
Audio Production & Sound Design: Nick Able, Benjamin Freeth
Engineering, Mix and Master: Nick Able
Additional Engineering: Benjamin Freeth
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered: Nick Able Music Studio
Additional Recording: Culture Lab, Newburn Surgery
Filmed at: Dance City

Continuum Press Release

Public preview of:

Continuum
A fulldome video art work by Paul Grimmer
Featuring a commissioned 5.1 surround soundscape by Nick Able and Benjamin Freeth

‘Continuum’ will preview at the Planetarium, Centre for Life, Newcastle upon Tyne on Friday 25th June as part of ‘Identity Masquerade’ between 18:30 - 21:00.

Newcastle based artist Paul Grimmer will be premiering his new video work in the unique immersive environment of the Planetarium at Newcastle’s Centre for Life. Grimmer developed the work during artist residencies with the Medical Research Council, Virology Unit in Glasgow (2008) and Allenheads Contemporary Arts in rural Northumberland (2009).

‘Continuum’ has been created specifically for the 10-metre diameter hemispherical screen at Centre for Life’s Planetarium, the largest in the region. Created with support from the development team at Life, ‘Continuum’ uses fulldome technology to create an immersive experience for the viewer, placing them inside of the work. The Centre is currently celebrating 10 years of excellence in the field of genetic research, which has been another influence for Grimmer’s work.

The artist says...

“The work explores the gaps between what we see and understand and what remains unseen and incomprehensible. ‘Continuum’ imagines another world, perhaps a microscopic world, like that of the virus or one that is as unimaginably vast as the universe. These extremes can only be visualised with the help of science and yet retain a sense of wonder and magic, they live in the imagination”

“Certain genetic mutations manifest themselves visibly, others are invisible but are mutations nonetheless. To the virus mutation is key to survival. Viruses are deadly and dangerous, yet highly ordered and beautiful, I am interested in these dualities”

“The Planetarium is designed and best equipped to display astronomical information and 3D animation. Learning how to adapt video for this setting was extremely challenging but also exciting as it offers a unique level of immersion for the viewer”

Complementing the visuals is a 5.1 surround soundscape produced and mixed for the planetarium by composer and musician Nick Able and multi-media artist and musician Benjamin Freeth, both based in Newcastle. The soundscape was created with support from Culture Lab and Newburn Surgery where recordings were gathered from the artist’s body as source material.

During his residency at Allenheads Grimmer contacted prosthetics sculptor Satinder Chumber with a strange request, to make him a tail. This unusual body modification was to be worn during the video shoot for Continuum. The transformation also involved the artist being painted gold from head to foot, creating a body both beautiful and grotesque. Working with movement, researched and developed at Dance City (2009), ‘Continuum’ explores mutation, difference and notions of beauty.

Project supported by:
Allenheads Contemporary Arts, Arts Council England, Centre for Life, Culture Lab, Dance City, Medical Research Council, Newburn Surgery, Newcastle Science Festival 2010

Location:
Life Science Centre, Times Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE1 4EP
For directions see - http://www.life.org.uk/life-science-centre/visit-us

Tickets:
Tickets for the ‘Identity Masquerade’ event cost £5 and are available from Centre for Life, for bookings contact: Niamh on 01912438223

For further information, full resolution images or interviews contact:
Paul Grimmer on 07919568432 or at paul@paulgrimmer.co.uk

image: Colin Davison

www.paulgrimmer.co.uk

Mutations Production Stills

Images: Daniel Barella