Ian Carr-Harris

A Demonstration, 1981

© Ian Carr-Harris • Photo: courtesy of the artist

Ian Carr-Harris, A Demonstration, © Ian Carr-Harris • Photo: courtesy of the artist

© Ian Carr-Harris • Photo: courtesy of the artist

Ian Carr-Harris, A Demonstration, © Ian Carr-Harris • Photo: courtesy of the artist
Artist
Ian Carr-Harris
Title
A Demonstration
Dimensions and medium
Wood, particle board, metal, paint, plastic, light bulbs, electrical wiring, and various objects, 183 × 610 × 610 cm (variable dimensions according to the exhibition area)
Origin
Gift of the artist
Artwork description
Ian Carr-Harris’s installation titled A Demonstration evokes the atmosphere of a scientific lab or a classroom. Various pieces of wheel-mounted furniture are placed in three areas based on a triangular configuration of the space. A small two-sided sign that reads “a demonstration” rests on a utility cart in one corner of the triangle, lit by a spotlight on the ceiling. In another corner, a tripod-mounted spotlight shines a soft, diffuse light on an artificial plant at the centre of a small table. In the third corner, a large blackboard, brightly lit by another tripod-mounted spotlight, has a handwritten inscription that reads: “My aunt used to say that where there’s smoke, there’s fire, personally, however, I never really believed her.” Clad in the artist’s trademark humour, the scene creates a certain sense of expectation. However, despite the suggestion of imminent action, such as the “demonstration” sign, or the mobility implied by the wheeled furniture, the scene remains completely static. Viewers are forced to imagine the narrative relationships between each element. With an elegant economy of means, Carr-Harris reminds us that reality is a construct of memory and of individual expectation.

See Also

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Shirin Neshat, Soliloquy, 1999 still EAST of Soliloquy, 1999, 16 mm colour film transferred on 2 DVDs, 2 screens, sound, 17 min 33 s., 5/6.
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Jean-Pierre Gauthier, Battements et Papillons, 2006 Battements et Papillons, 2006, Piano, bench, aluminum insulating tape, solenoids, motion detectors, relays, microcontrollers, transformers, and various objects.
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Bill Viola, The Sleepers, 1992 The Sleepers, 1992, 7 metal barrels, 7 black and white video monitors, 7 videos, and 385 gallons of water, 1/2.
Dervish, 1993-1995, Wood, aluminum, mirrors, strobe light, motor, 2 video projectors, 2 loudspeakers, computer, electronic controls, software, and videodiscs, 2/2.
Gary Hill, Dervish, 1993-1995 Dervish, 1993-1995, Wood, aluminum, mirrors, strobe light, motor, 2 video projectors, 2 loudspeakers, computer, electronic controls, software, and videodiscs, 2/2.
still of Answer Me, 2008, HD video, stereo sound, 4 min 51 s, 3/6.
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Château d’eau : lumière mythique, 1997, Cedar wood, wood, metal, mirrors, ivory narwhal tusks, sound, and light.
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