Reflection on : RUPTURE NO 1: BLOWTORCHING THE BITTEN PEACH

 

During week 9 of the first teaching block we went to the Tate Britain to see an exhibition of interactive art by Heather Philipson : ‘ RUPTURE NO 1: BLOWTORCHING THE BITTEN PEACH‘.

The exhibition is divided in a few rooms displaying objects mixed in with screens, creating an almost menacing atmosphere.

At first, I was confused by the display, trying to understand the meaning of this disorganised succession of objects, images and colours. I did not know much about the artist and her intentions with this display but nevertheless, I still understood the nature and purpose of it.

However, what struck me the most was the sound coming from the speakers. Echoing and eerie sounds float through the room creating feelings of unease and agitation carrying ‘an underlying sense of threat’ (TATE Britain, 2021), especially near the pond like screen display: the hollowness of it leads you to think something could jump out if you’re not looking out.

After some time, I immersed myself in this experience, and as Philipson says this exhibition feels like the gallery coming to life : the whole room feels like a gigantic creature waiting to be awaken.

In the end, this exhibition was fantastic especially due to it’s atmospheric nature, immersing you in the sounds, lights and story that is told. I only wish this experience could have been longer.

To conclude, I am fascinated by the ambiance created by Philipson here and hopefully this experience will inspire me in the future. Lastly, I will remember to do more research for our next gallery trip to avoid any future confusions.

References :

TATE Britain. (2021) TATE BRITAIN COMMISSION / HEATHER PHILLIPSON RUPTURE NO 1: BLOWTORCHING THE BITTEN PEACH. Available from: https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/heather-phillipson (Accessed 10th February 2022)