In Opera House Steps: December and March (2006), artist Jess MacNeil removes the figures of walking people, leaving only their shadows and sounds. Meant as “a timeless observation of inhuman phenomenon” at the time, this particular work was chosen to be shown as an online accompaniment to our Where to Stand in the Wind exhibition curated by Yasmin Canvin, as a reflection of the eerie, palpable absence of crowds during recent lockdowns as the internet replaced in-person experience.
Opera House Steps: December (excerpt)
2006, digital video with sound, full video 2 minutes 22 seconds on an infinite loop
Opera House Steps: March (excerpt)
2006, digital video with sound, full video 2 minutes 57 seconds on an infinite loop
Jess MacNeil is an artist who works at the points of intersection between painting, installation, video and photography, often taking the dynamics of the human/environment relationship as her subject matter. Jess has exhibited widely internationally and is represented in this exhibition by Artereal.