GARY HILL
LOOP THROUGH – ISOLATION TANK & MEDIATIONS
The cross-disciplinary conceptual artist Gary Hill has titled the exhibition Loop Through, referring to an exhibition structured in three phases: the first began with the inaugural talk that took place on 6 June, in which the artist provided insights into the “behind the scenes” of some of his works.
June 21st marked the second date for the Loop Through exhibition series by the conceptual artist. This event featured the premiere in Mallorca for the video installation Isolation Tank (2010-2011) and the live performance Mediations.
21.06.2024
The piece Isolation Tank (2010-2011) features a surfboard alone in the middle of the ocean dominating the screen as the camera (from an unseen helicopter) approaches. On closer inspection, the image subtly shifts between a human face and a depiction of Mahakala, a protector of Dharma in Tibetan Buddhism.
As the sound of the helicopter becomes audible, a rogue wave suddenly rises, submerging the surfboard. In a point of view (POV) shift, the helicopter sound seems to go underwater and then reemerges as the board resurfaces. The camera/helicopter then pulls back, hovers above the scene, causing ripples around the surfboard, before returning to the initial vantage point, creating a seamless loop. The projection was entirely computer-generated, manipulating perspective to make the viewer question the board’s origin and its owner’s location. The sound of the camera/helicopter was produced using an analog audio synthesizer.
During the Mediations performance, Hill reinterpreted one of his earlier works from 1986, allowing the audience to experience the reflexivity of speech in relation to the interaction between physical objects—specifically, sand and a speaker cone.
As Hill pours sand onto the speaker with his bare hands, he begins to speak referring to what he’s doing. Every nuance of speech causes the speaker’s cone to vibrate, resulting in sand grains dancing in the air. The more he talks about his actions, the more the movement and patterns of the sand change or alter.
Simultaneously, a live recording is projected behind him, offering the audience an intimate view of Hill’s work table, providing a closer look at the intricate details of the performance.
