Entering the exhibition, the viewer will encounter some of the most interesting works of Hiller, Recycled Works. The artist has recycled her earlier works by cutting up some of her paintings and by burning some others keeping the ashes produced by this process stored in glass bottles. Recycled Works is a brave piece especially because it requires a powerful act, that of ‘destroying’ previous works of art or some sort of reconstruction by creating new ones which replace the earlier ones giving to them new meaning and entity. This is a simple but potent work, which examines concepts such as the meaning of the new and the old. In other words, it explores in an intellectual way the essence of the birth of something new out of the ruins of something old.
Her work, Dedicated To The Unknown Artists, is a tribute to all the forgotten artists. A series of postcards collected from British seaside towns, which picture rough seas, are presented according to the type of images and accompanied with b charts. In this work, Hiller presents all the artists who have been overlooked and draws attention to their unrecognized labor. Objects such as postcards as well as the artists who produced them suddenly come in the focus of the viewer who realizes what is mostly forgotten.
One of my favorite art works made by Hiller, is the Momument, which is a diamond shaped installation of photographs of park’s memorial plaques. Hiller in this work pays attention to Londoners who died in a heroic way in their effort to rescue others. In front of this installation, a bench is placed with a recorder where the viewer is invited to sit on and listen to the voice of the artist who talks. In this way, the viewer comes into direct communication with the dead as if they have never passed away, as if they still have a voice, as if they still live among us.
The Last Silent Movie, this sound installation is again a tribute to all the extinct or nearly extinct languages. Hiller translated into English all these voices who speak in their languages and in this way gives to them a medium through which they can be heard and stay ‘alive’ in eternity. The viewer listening to this soundtrack engages with the language itself and the culture of the people who spoke it. It creates a strong sentiment of nostalgia and misplacement.
Another beautiful installation is Witness, which is presented in a dark room where wires with speakers on the end are hanging through the ceiling, forming a something like a curtain.Through these speakers, people from around the world describe their encounter with UFOs or with creatures from other spheres. The viewer can pass by all the wires, which travel him to all the different stories, presented. Once again the viewer becomes part of the installation and a witness himself.
The exhibition will last until the 15th of May 2011, don´t miss it!
Lady M.
