ROUNDS is an experimental video installation by London-based designer and video artist James Hutchinson. Projected on a 360° screen, this innovative work expands traditional viewing boundaries by immersing the audience in a circular cinematic world of strikingly beautiful images and a soundtrack composed by local audio artist Dan Hayhurst.
In a society over stimulated by competing demands, our senses engage in a power struggle to trigger the brain’s perception and ordering of our individual worlds. ROUNDS dissects the circularity of thoughts and emotions of our human existence. The circle itself permeates the work, from the physical viewing platform, through the looping nature of both sound and image, to the circular stem of the visual elements.
Hutchinson’s video work is characterised by a rich and multi-layered style of imagery and his experimentation with delivery. He draws from a lush palette of techniques including stop-frame animation, typography, motion-graphics, animation and traditionally filmed footage. There is a consistent determination to extend the viewing experience and participation of his audience.
In part, ROUNDS evolves from an earlier multi-screen work UMBO, which Hutchinson produced in collaboration with New Zealand audio artist rotor+. UMBO was commissioned for Interdigitate 2003 (NZ) and subsequently selected by several international festival programmes, including Transmediale.04 (Germany) 2004, Videodance (Greece) 2004, Thessaloniki Film Festival (Greece) 2004 and Soundplay (Canada) 2007. Utilising a pleasing discourse on signalling and communication as a device, this experimental video-sound-performance work sounded a warning cry for the planet’s future, calling the audience to protest and criticising the passive acceptance of mass media rhetoric. Highlighting a recurring theme in the pair’s work, the composition of images and sounds played particularly on the tension between ear and eye, and explored the balance of trust between the senses in a visible, audible existence.
Originally from New Zealand, Hutchinson has lived in London since 2006. Over the past decade he has worked commercially in the design industry in the fields of animation and post-production, producing and directing television commercials, channel branding, broadcast titles and station idents. In his personal practice, he has produced and collaborated on a variety of projects, including numerous video works for dance and music performances, music videos and experimental video installations. Hutchinson exhibited kaleidoscopic video works at the Top and Tail Gallery during the Hackney Wicked Art Festival in both 2008 and 2009.
Dan Hayhurst is a London-based producer employing digital and analogue tape recorders to create adventurous electronic music. His current projects include the music and animation duo ‘Sculpture’ with Reuben Sutherland (www.tapebox.co.uk)
ROUNDS was made possible by the Screen Innovation Production Fund, a partnership between Creative New Zealand and the New Zealand Film Commission.
Preview: 5 – 9pm Thursday 26th November 2009 27th – 28th November 5 – 8 pm
SNAP UK Wimbourne House 151-155 New North Road London N1 6TA
