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chinese whispers

Collaboration for Castlemaine State Festival 2007 : Andrew Goodman and Tara Gilbee

A Chinese Whisper is like an echo that returns altered, a metamorphosis of subjective understanding and alteration of meaning, the root origin is debased, its trajectory causes it to pick up aspects about each author that relays it and rearranges it.

Whispering, in itself is secretive in nature, conspiratorial and intimate. Its aligned to the demarcation of whom is sharing and who needs to be excluded. It is sensory as well in its sonic form it touches its recipient with a sensuality of low tones and close breath.

Drawing on these extended themes around the idea of rumour mills and secretative conversations, furtive sound bites in small towns. Also the erotic nature of food, noise in a restaurant and the anachronistic decor and the cultural dislocation that is inherent in the faux chinoise set. This installation explored the performative elements of requesting a presence, an uninvited guest in the restaurant, it invited diners to review and engage as unexpected audience , or just to dine around the work and try and ignore the whispering entity next door.

This art work was composed of digital stills (figure 1-6) on transperant film placed in light boxes, with paper leaves enveloping the pagoda and surround sound emanating from within.