Tate Liverpool presents Sky Arts Ignition. Doug Aitken – The Source, on view 15 September 2012–13 January 2013.
Doug Aitken explores the creative drive behind many of the cultural pioneers who are shaping our creative future in Sky Arts Ignition: Doug Aitken – The Source. Presented as a series of filmed conversations between Aitken and celebrated cultural figures from diverse media including visual art, architecture, film, new media and music, The Source leads us to new frontiers of contemporary culture.
The Source is filmed on location in varied and unique destinations throughout the world. Whether it is musician Beck in the Mojave Desert or architect Jacque Herzog in his light-filled Basel studio, a seamless film aesthetic creates a visual cohesion tying together these disparate environments. Densely and crisply edited finished films create a fast moving road trip through the modern landscape of creativity.
The work brings the narrative back to the source, speaking directly with the creators whose work has the ability to steer culture in a significant way. Presented as a multi-dimensional medium—a social event, a philosophical exchange and a poetic dialogue—Aitken’s conversations reflect on culture while resisting a given boundary between different artistic genres. They capture the complexity and immediacy of creativity without pretence or formality, by distilling casual yet intimate dialogues into insightful sound-bites.
His first public realm installation in the UK, The Source showcases Aitken’s innovative approach to public art. Located at Liverpool’s Albert Dock, it is housed in a pavilion designed by the artist in collaboration with renowned British architect David Adjaye OBE. The deliberate separation from the traditional gallery space provides a new creative territory and cultural destination. The commission also forms part of Liverpool Biennial 2012: Unexpected Guest.
Sky Arts Ignition: Doug Aitken – The Source is the first project to be selected as part of the Sky Arts Ignition Series, a new funding initiative which will see Sky Arts partner with six leading arts organisations, to invest directly in the creation of new innovative art works, events and performances, and look to support them across Sky’s platforms
Supported by Tate Liverpool Members and LUMA Foundation.
Courtesy of 303 Gallery, New York; Galerie Eva Presenhuber, Zürich; Victoria Miro Gallery, London; Regen Projects, Los Angeles.
Curated by Sook-Kyung Lee, Exhibitions & Displays Curator, assisted by Jose Diaz, Project Assistant, Tate Liverpool.
Doug Aitken’s The Source A 24 Hour Happening is broadcast on Sky Arts 2 from 12h on 15 September for 24 hours to mark the opening of The Source. This unique and groundbreaking intervention is curated by Aitken seeing the artist takeover Sky Arts for the day, and features revolutionary cinema classics by Luis Bunuel and Dziga Vertov along with excerpts and documentations from Aitken’s new work as well as previous projects.
Tate Liverpool
Albert Dock
Liverpool
T 0151 702 7400
www.tate.org.uk/liverpool