Erdkunde: the study of the Earth (2015-16) [multi-component output with contextualising information]
- Submitting institution
-
Bath Spa University
- Unit of assessment
- 32 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
- Output identifier
- 3375
- Type
- M - Exhibition
- Venue(s)
- Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, Bristol, England; and NTT InterCommunication Center (ICC), Tokyo, Japan.
- Open access status
- Out of scope for open access requirements
- Month of first exhibition
- -
- Year of first exhibition
- 2015
- URL
-
https://doi.org/10.17870/bathspa.c.4967756
- Supplementary information
-
-
- Request cross-referral to
- -
- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
- -
- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
-
1
- Research group(s)
-
-
- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- This project was an opportunity for Harrison and Wood to develop a new video work in a response to the
geology collection at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, much of which is not on public display. Harrison and
Wood’s work is collaborative and all roles within it are equally shared.
The work draws upon the history of geological maps, walkers and individual geologists whose histories are
tied up with the collection at the museum. Collecting, collating and classification of materials in relation to
museums was of particular interest, inspired by the work of William Smith who produced the first
geological map of the UK in 1815 and this project marked the 200-year anniversary of that map.
This project problematises the interpretation of a sets of materials, artifacts and texts, and through this
process reveals that simultaneous interpretations and alternative narratives are possible calling into
question the protocols and veracity of museum narratives and more broadly the concept of documentary
narratives, which are rarely neutral.
This dissemination of information was directly addressed by the format utilized, specifically the narrative
device of a lecture with no spoken words, based upon the idea of a field trip and the collection and
subsequent display and interpretation of materials.
Here the show-and-tell lecture format is turned upside down to splinter the relationship between words
and images, inducing thought through disjunction. Erdkunde’s written captions function to disconnect
rather than explain. The work has the feel of a children’s picture book in which simple sentences
accompany illustrations or actions.
The production of the work was supported by Arts Council England’s Grants for the Arts programme, in
partnership with 15 museums from across England the National Trust and the Contemporary Visual Arts
Network and selected for New Expressions 3 at Bristol Museum and Art gallery.
- Author contribution statement
- -
- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
- -
