Sensing Obscurity (Parts I, II, III)

What happens to symbols of cultural dominance when the world-order shifts?

Set in Saltram House, an English country house (now National Trust property), the film takes place ‘some point in the not so distant future’, at a moment in time when China’s ascendance as a global power has given rise to an opportunity to re-visit history differently. Using a mixture of documentary and narrative film tropes, the cut and paste aesthetics of hip hop and chinoiserie; the history of Saltram House as we know it, under-goes a slippery transition in an attempt to remain relevant and shore-up its status as cultural capital.

Sensing Obscurity I: The Manor House; English Literature; artefacts and the performativity of objects; contrapuntal readings; and looking inwards backwards.
Duration: 28.31min
Medium: 2-channel HDV projection, 4 track audio, looped

Sensing Obscurity II: Chinese Chippendale
Duration: 1.30min
Medium: streamed video with bootleg DVD

Sensing Obscurity III: After Chinoiserie
Version I: 5 min text and audio work, produced in collaboration with Neil Rose.
Version 2: 5.30min video.

• Organisation