During Paul’s MFA Fine art studies in the period 2013-2015, he shot the Orpheus building extensively in video and image. This continued until the building was closed down in June 2015.
As this is being written, (December 2015) Orpheus is in the process of being torn down to make way for a new build on the same site.
Collectvely these works are offered as a memento mori, a reminder to consider the transient nature of that which we assume to be permanent.
Individually, the works are a selection of memories for those who are familiar with the building. Various blending and other technical approaches have been used to enhance the sense of flicking through a memory bank, in other pieces a journey through the building is put through video stabilising software that creates frames between frames that aren’t there, that causes random zooms and makes the outer frame rotate rather than the image.
The site is also a somewhat unapologetic sentimental celebration of the beautiful art deco building. It is an invitation to reconsider the creative activity that has resonated within its walls over three decades, not to mention the important contribution this piece of city fabric has given to the creative and physical well being of the city.
Orpheus will be missed by those who knew it, history for those who didn’t have that opportunity.
Nihil aeternum est- Nothing Is Forever
These works are the output from Paul’s Digital Arts Studio MFA residency award.
Many thanks to Angela, Jon and all at DAS – DigitalArtsStudios.com
