Clouds
2008
A Singing Science video. Peter Gidal arguably the chief theortician of Structural Materialist film practice made a piece in 1969 called Clouds. Writing on Clouds Gidal noted 'The anti-illusionistic project engaged by Clouds is that of dialectic materialism. There is virtually nothing ON screen, in the sense of IN screen. Obsessive repetition as materialist practice, not psychoanalytic indulgence.'
Here in contrast clouds are presented as computer generated forms whose representation is child like and crude. This then is anti illusionism but from the perspective of having to make believe (in the illusion) rather than deny a supposed on/in screen reality. Such make believe is given possible credence by the accompanying soundtrack from the 1960s Singing Science series in which the production of clouds is outlined.
Screened at: Memorial Art Gallery, Hastings (2009).