The Video Art Screening Room at The London Group Open 2017 by Gloria King Merritt.
At The London Group’s Private View, the oldest living member of the Group, Anthony Eyton, who was elected a Member of the London Group in 1958, made an expressive and entertaining speech. His words meant a great deal to me, as a video artist with my first work included in the London Group Open. He expressed the excitement of the earliest art created by man, exhibited on the walls of caves, under flickering light, that was awe inspiring to the community.
The London Group has been a leader in supporting and including New Media Art, including video, along side fine art using traditional techniques and mediums.
Being accepted in The London Group Open was so significant and prestigious that I arranged to fly to London from the United States for the Private View on November 7th. I enjoyed every minute, and will definitely be back to visit again.
Nicola Schauerman, whose work with Genetic Moo is included in the exhibition, took photographs in the muted light of the video screening room and every person in the audience was smiling and enthusiastically enjoying the work.
My video, “Solar Wind” tells the story of a real painting on canvas hung in a traditional contemplative white space on a Gallery wall. The painting begins to express wild desire to escape the confinement of limitation. Paintings on exhibition are not allowed to perform, and are expected to hang quietly.
“Solar Wind” is restless to move beyond the gallery, and expand into the space beyond, embracing time, movement and sound, in an act of liberation.
“Solar Wind” demonstrates the transition from paintings on canvas in the contemplative space of the traditional gallery, to the freedom of time-based new media and unlimited digital exhibition where collectors are able to access new media fine art anywhere and anytime.
Although “Solar Wind” is only 34 seconds in length, it documents the most dynamic change in art beginning in the 1940’s with the birth of the computer, and coming to fruition since the turn of the new century, sometimes referred to as New Media Art.
Gloria King Merritt