Tereza Severová: Filling and Emptying
22. 12. 2009 – 15. 1. 2010
opening 21. 12. at 6pm

Severová’s works are subtle and often profound in what they reveal about social experience. Working in digital video and photography, she manipulates the still and moving image to evolve scenes static and dynamic at the same time. Severova’s central interest lies in space and memory, the possessive memories of space and in depicting traditional values.

Reflecting on our relationship to the commodities we surround ourselves with, and mindful of the increasing importance and scale attached to the notion of the commodity, Severová invites us to consider how a cumulative process can gradually take over. The inclusion of a domestic space overwhelmed by water refers to Baudrillard’s criticism of the consumer’s manic appropriation of an endless series of objects. The dramatic tension in the work is created through the sense that the scale of acquisition can no longer be confined. A point of saturation is reached and we are forced to reconsider and re-evaluate the function of our possessions and our occupation of space. It may be emptied, but only to be filled again.

Yasmeen Baig-Clifford
Director
VIVID
July 2009

Yasmeen Baig-Clifford has been working within the media arts field for 14 years. She graduated in Fine Art in 1991 and holds an MA in Visual Theories. Yasmeen has been Director of VIVID since 1999 and in 2001 created VIVID's inaugural artistic programme 'hothaus' to investigate and support critical and practical dialogues between art, technology and aesthetics.  'hothaus' gave life to 22 projects over 3 years, and was selected by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport to represent innovation in the creative industries in 2003. In 2004/6 as lead Curator she worked with the ICA and Czech Centre to develop and present the first UK tour of the work of Woody Vasulka and Steina, in Vasulka Lab 1969-2005. She edited and contributed to the extensive VIVID publications on the work of Steina and Woody Vasulka (‘Vasulka Lab: Live Archive’ 2006), and curated a major touring exhibition of new video works by the Turner Prize nominated artist Richard Billingham’ (‘Zoo’, 2006-8) . She is currently curating the first retrospective exhibition and publication on the British Film and Video Workshop Movement of the 1980s.