ANTHONY MCCALL
Anthony McCall est connu pour ses installations de « lumière solide », série d’œuvres qu’il a débutée en 1973 avec la pièce fondatrice Line Describing a Cone à l’intérieur de laquelle une forme volumétrique de lumière matérialisée par du brouillard évolue en un lent mouvement au sein de l’espace tridimensionnel. Après un pause d’une vingtaine d’années, Anthony McCall est revenu sur la scène artistique en 2003 lors de la Biennale du Whitney Museum, à New York. Oscillant entre sculpture, dessin et vidéo, son travail offre au spectateur une expérience tant physique que visuelle.
Anthony McCall is known for his ‘solid-light’ installations, a serie that he began in 1973 with his seminal Line Describing a Cone, in which a volumetric form composed of projected light slowly evolves in three-dimensional space. After a twenty-year-long break, McCall made a come back in 2003 at the Whitney Museum biennal. Occupying a space between sculpture, cinema and drawing, his work gives to the spectatoran a striking experience both visual and physical.
FACE TO FACE IV 2013, installation (horizontal, double), computer, Quicktime Movie file, two video projectors, two haze machines, one cycle of 24 minutes in two parts, edition of 3
A two-projector, horizontal installation. The two volumetrics forms are positioned alongside one another while the projectors point in opposite directions. Because of this reversal, the observer can study the drawing on the wall while simultaneously occupying the volumetric form produced by it. Face to Face IV is focused on the precise moment when the flat drawing is transformed into space. First Shown at Galerie Martine Aboucaya, France, in 2013.
FACE TO FACE IV 2013, installation (horizontal, double), computer, Quicktime Movie file, two video projectors, two haze machines, one cycle of 24 minutes in two parts, edition of 3
FACE TO FACE IV 2013, installation (horizontal, double), computer, Quicktime Movie file, two video projectors, two haze machines, one cycle of 24 minutes in two parts, edition of 3
FACE TO FACE IV 2013, installation (horizontal, double), computer, Quicktime Movie file, two video projectors, two haze machines, one cycle of 24 minutes in two parts, edition of 3
TRAVELER 2012, Traveler is a groupe of twenty drawings made of three particular sets : Traveler (From Lower Right), Traveler (To Upper Right) and Traveler (Crossover From Above). These are sequential studies for an installation of 36 light-bulbs that provide the spatial and durational context for « Eclipse », a dance collaboration with choreographer Jonah Bokaer.
TRAVELER (CROSSOVER, FROM ABOVE) I to VI 2012, set of six pencil drawings on paper, 35,4 x 27,9 cm each, unique work
TRAVELER (FROM LOWER RIGHT) I to VII 2012, set of seven pencil drawings on paper, 35,4 x 27,9 cm each, unique work
TRAVELER (TO UPPER RIGHT) I to VII 2012, set of seven pencil drawings on paper, 35,4 x 27,9 cm each, unique work
THROES 2011, installation (horizontal, single), computer, Quicktime Movie file, video projector, haze machine, 15 minutes loop, edition of 5
Throes (50, 100, 150 seconds) 2011, pastel on paper, 56 x 76 cm, unique work
Throes (75, 150 seconds) 2011, pastel on paper, 56 x 76 cm, unique work
Throes (200, 250, 300 seconds) 2011, pastel on paper, 56 x 76 cm, unique work
Throes (350, 400, 450 seconds) 2011, pastel on paper, 56 x 76 cm, unique work
Throes (500, 550, 600 seconds) 2011, pastel on paper, 56 x 76 cm, unique work
Throes (650, 700, 750 seconds) 2011, pastel on paper, 56 x 76 cm, unique work
Throes (800, 850, 0 seconds) 2011, pastel on paper, 56 x 76 cm, unique work
LINE DESCRIBING A CONE 2.0 2010, installation, (horizontal, single), computer, QuickTime Movie file, video projector, haze machine, 30 minutes loop, editon of 15
MEETING YOU HALFWAY 2009, installation (vertical, single), computer, computer script, video projector, haze machine, one cycle of 15 minutes, edition of 5
Single-projector, vertical in orientation, this piece is based on a slow, back-and-forth exchange between two identical elliptical cones, which expand and contract at different speed. These two overlapping forms of motion produce shifting interior volumes of space together with the gradual opening up and closing down of the entry apertures. First shown at Hangar Bicocca, Milan, 2009.
COUPLING 2009, installation (vertical, single), computer, computer script, video projector, haze machine, one cycle of 15 minutes 44 seconds in two parts, edition of 5
MEETING YOU HALFWAY II 2009, installation (horizontal, single), computer, computer script, video projector, haze machine, one cycle of 15 minutes, edition of 5
LEAVING (WITH TWO-MINUTE SILENCE) 2009, A two-projector, horizontal installation, this work draws on the use of sound as an integral part of the work structure – the first work with sound silence ‘‘Landscape for Fire’’ in 1972. Each ‘colonical’ form is based on a single, continuous line that combines the circle, the straight line and the traveling wave. The installation is based not only on a reciprocity between these two forms – one diminishing to nothing while the other grows to full size – but also on the riddle of two contradictory sound sources on opposite sides of the space, and on the structure which draws the elements together to produce moments of complete silence when all motion ceases.
LEAVING (WITH TWO-MINUTE SILENCE) 2009, A two-projector, horizontal installation, this work draws on the use of sound as an integral part of the work structure – the first work with sound silence ‘‘Landscape for Fire’’ in 1972. Each ‘colonical’ form is based on a single, continuous line that combines the circle, the straight line and the traveling wave. The installation is based not only on a reciprocity between these two forms – one diminishing to nothing while the other grows to full size – but also on the riddle of two contradictory sound sources on opposite sides of the space, and on the structure which draws the elements together to produce moments of complete silence when all motion ceases.
LEAVING (WITH TWO-MINUTE SILENCE) 2006-2008, working drawings, 360 degree turn, set of 24, framed, 28 cm x 35 cm each, unique work
STUDY FOR PROJECTED COLUMN 2008, graphite wash on paper, 116 x 79 cm, unique work
STUDY FOR TWO PROJECTED COLUMNS 2008, graphite wash on paper, 116 x 79 cm, unique work
STUDY FOR CROSSING 2008, suite of three graphite wash on paper and one chromogenic print on paper, 21,5 x 28 cm each, unique work
CROSSING THE HUDSON 2007, graphite wash on paper, 79 x 116 cm, unique work
YOU AND I, HORIZONTAL III 2007, installation (horizontal, double), computer, Quicktime movie file, two video projectors, two haze machines, one cycle of 30 minutes in two parts, edition of 3 plus 1 AP
YOU AND I, HORIZONTAL III 2007, installation (horizontal, double), computer, Quicktime movie file, two video projectors, two haze machines, one cycle of 30 minutes in two parts, edition of 3 plus 1 AP
YOU AND I, HORIZONTAL III 2007, installation (horizontal, double) computer, Quicktime movie file, two video projectors, two haze machines, one cycle of 30 minutes in two parts, edition of 3 plus 1 AP
The first two projectors, horizontal installation, it draws on the same syntax as YAIH (I), but simplifies the structure to one pair of exchanges with slower motion overall, and a further exploration of the synchronized, staggered doubling first explored in the vertical « You and I » and « Between You and I ». First shown at Sean Kelly gallery, New York, Feb-March.
BETWEEN YOU AND I 2006, installation (vertical, double), computer, computer script, two video projectors, two haze machines, one cycle of 32 minutes in two parts, edition of 3 plus 1 AP
The second two projector, vertical installation, based on a similar syntax to « You and I », but with the rates-of-change and speeds-of-motion significantly changed. First shown at Peer/The Round Chapel, London, March-April 2006.
YOU AND I, HORIZONTAL II 2006, installation (horizontal, single), computer, Quicktime movie file, video projector, haze machine, one cycle of 30 minutes in two parts, edition of 5 plus 1 AP
Single projector, horizontal in orientation, this piece is stripped down to an exchange between just two elements; the elliptical cone and a triangular plane which is either a traveling wave becoming flat, or a flat plane becoming a traveling wave. First shown at the Vardy Gallery, Univ. of Sunderland, March 2006.
EXCHANGE 2005, installation (vertical, single), computer, computer script, video projector, haze machine one cycle of 30 minutes in two parts, edition of 5 plus 1 AP
Like the « Breath » series, vertical in orientation, this is the first exploration of parallel action based on a radically extended « wipe ». The two cinematic exchanges are constructed from independant, pre-existing works. In part I, « Turning Under », slowly advances on and replaces « Tail », in part II, « Tail » slowly advances on and replaces « Turning Under ». Sculpturally, this produces a continuously mutating, irregular, standing form.
YOU AND I, HORIZONTAL 2005, installation (horizontal, single), computer, Quicktime movie file, video projector, haze machine, one cycle of 50 minutes in six parts, edition of 5 plus 1 AP
YOU AND I 2005, installation (vertical, double), computer, computer script, two video projectors, two haze machines, one cycle of 60 minutes in two parts, edition of 3 plus 1 AP
The firs two-projector, vertical installation, this builds on the wipe structure of « Exchange » and adds a synchronized, staggered, doubling between two parallel forms. The two constituent events are a vertical (standing) cone with flattened sides that slowly expands and contracts; and a vertical, slowly traveling wave which intersects a rotating plane. The scale : 10m. tall, with a total projected footprint of approx. 11m x 3,5 m. First shown at Eyebeam, New York, Nov-Dec 2005.
BREATH 2004, installation (vertical, single), computer, computer script, video projector, haze machine, one cycle of 6 minutes, edition of 5 plus 1 AP
A vertical (standing) cone with flattened sides which expand and contract, the form is bisected internally by travelling wave forming valve like apertures that slowly open and close.
BREATH II 2004, installation (vertical, single) computer, computer script, video projector, haze machine, one cycle of 10 minutes, edition of 5 plus 1 AP
A vertical (standing) cone with flattened sides is trisected internally by two travelling waves. The entire form contracts very slowly squeezgin the inner chambers until they become transformed into a single flat triangular blade of light; the motion then reverses and the form very slowly expands back until the original three-chambered standing cone is restored.
BREATH III 2005, installation (vertical, single), computer, computer script, video projector, haze machine, one cycle of 15 minutes, edition of 5 plus 1 AP
A vertical (standing) deeply folded traveling wave passes through and around an only partly visible cone at its center which vigorously and repeatedly expandes and contracts.
TURNING UNDER 2004, installation (horizontal, single), computer, computer script, video projector, haze machine, one cycle of 30 minutes in two parts, edition of 5 plus 1 AP
Beginning alongside one another in a vertical position, a travelling wave and a flat pane of light pass through one another as they rotate through 90 degrees, ending alongside one another horizontal. Unlike many of the other recent films where the motion is extremely slow, here the undulation motion of the traveling wave is prominent.
DOUBLING BACK 2003, installation (horizontal, single), computer, computer script, video projector, haze machine, one cycle of 30 minutes in two parts, edition of 5 plus 1 AP
Four projected movements 1975, installation 16 mm film, black-and-white, silent, one cycle : 75 minutes in four parts, edition of 5 plus 1 AP
CONE OF VARIABLE VOLUME 1974, installation (horizontal, single), 16 mm film, black-and-white, silent, 10 minutes, edition of 5 plus 1 AP
A complete projected cone of light expands and contracts at progressively faster speeds.
PARTIAL CONE 1974, installation (horizontal, single), 16 mm film, black-and-white, silent, 15 minutes, edition of 5 plus 1 AP
An investigation of the apparent solidity of the projected membrane by the removal of frames. The surface of the projected half-cone of light systematically passes through a number of states, such as tremouring, glimmering, blinking, flashing, etc.
LONG FILM FOR AMBIENT LIGHT 1975, site-specific installation, altered room with windows, electric light bulb, time schema, statement, one cycle of 24h, unique work in an edition of 5
A continuous installation in which the film is no longer an object but rather an entire three-dimensional field, extended in time. The visitor is surrounded both spatially and durationally.
Conical Solid 1974, installation (horizontal, single) 16 mm film, black-and-white, silent, 10 minutes, edition of 5 plus 1 AP
A flat, triangular blade of light rotates at progressively slower speed.
Found Solid Light Installation 1974 – 2008, pigment print on paper, 41,5 x 33 cm, edition of 25
LONG FILM FOR FOUR PROJECTORS 1974, installation, 16 mm film, black-and-white, silent, four projectors, one cycle of 5 hours 30 minutes in eight parts, edition of 3 plus 1 AP
A single fifteen-minute sweep of triangular blade of light through 90 degrees, along a wall, becomes four distinct architectural interventions through the agency of the projector.
LINE DESCRIBING A CONE 1973, installation (horizontal, single), 16 mm film, black-and white, silent, 30 minutes, open edition
The fird of the « solid light » films. Shown in an empty space, the film consists of the coming-into-being of a three dimensional, projected cone of light in the space between the projector and the wall.
LANDSCAPE FOR FIRE 1972, 16 mm film, color, optical sound, transferred as well to DVD in 2005, 7 minutes 30 seconds, edition of 15 for the DVD open edition for the 16 mm film
EARTHWORK 1972, 16 mm film, color, magnetic sound, transferred to DVD in 2007, 2 minutes 20 seconds, edition of 15
EARTHWORK 1972, 16 mm film, color, magnetic sound, transferred to DVD in 2007, 2 minutes 20 seconds, edition of 15
LANDSCAPE FOR WHITE SQUARES 1972, 16 mm film, color, magnetic sound, transferred to DVD in 2007, 3 minutes 20 seconds, edition of 15
LANDSCAPE FOR WHITE SQUARES 1972, 16 mm film, color, magnetic sound, transferred to DVD in 2007, 3 minutes 20 seconds, edition of 15
MINIATURE IN BLACK AND WHITE 1972, installation, eighty-one 35 mm slides, carousel projector, miniature, plexiglas screen, edition of 5
SLIT-SCAN 1972, slideshow, eighty-one 35mm slides, carousel projector, edition of 5 plus 2 APs
WATER TABLE 1972, set of six framed gelatin silver prints, 27,6 x 35,3 cm each, edition of 15