John Wood (1969) & Paul Harrison (1966) are video artists based in Bristol, United Kingdom.
They have been collaborating since 1993. They make screen-based minimalist works that often manipulate familiar objects, giving rise to imaginative associations. It partly suggests the controlled experiments of conceptual art – but equally the slapstick routines of physical comedy. “Sculptural pratfalls” is about right.
Their work investigated the relationship between human figure and architecture, developed through short form video (20 seconds- 3 minutes) with particular emphasis on actions being formulated and resolved within a given duration.
John Wood & Paul Harrison on videokunstnikud Bristolist, kes on koos töötanud alates Bathi kunstikooli lõpetamisest 1993 aastal.
Nende lühikeste videosketšidena (20 sekundit – 3 minutit) jäädvustatud aktsioonid, mis toimuvad enamasti valges kuubiku taolises test-ruumis isoleeritud kehalisuse ja erinevate rekvisiitide koostoimel on selle aja jooksul muutunud üha minimalistlikumaks ja kontseptuaalsemaks.
Oma teoses “Kakskümmendkuus. Joonistavad ja kukkuvad asjad” justkui standartsete kriipsujukudena opereerivad Wood & Harrison uurivad erilise kuiva absurdihuumori võtmes kehalisuse olemust justkui steriliseeritud ruumides, läbi aktsioonide, mis oleks nagu mingite toote-testimis videode taasesitused, keskmes standardiseeritud, üldistatud inimkeha. Nende kontseptuaalsed skulptuurid ajas aktiveerivad kõige elementaarsemaid ruumisuhteid, taasavastavad gravitatsiooni ja hõõrdejõudu ning erinevate materjalide omadusi kõige jaburamal mõeldaval viisil, justkui oleks nad marslased testimas meie maise elukeskonna põhiparmeetreid.
Tate Channel
John Wood and Paul Harrison: Welcome to the deadpan world of Harrison and Wood
Bristol-based duo Paul Harrison and John Wood could be described as an art-world equivalent to Laurel and Hardy. Their videos, showing their dead-pan antics as they dangle precariously from a ladder, slide on office chairs around the back of a moving van, and submit themselves to a drenching from dozens of watering cans, are both hilarious and thought provoking. They invited TateShots to meet them at their studio.