FACT
Mike Stubbs talk in the LJMU was very interesting. He is very interesting personality and character.
He said that FACT is unique place because there are only few places like that are in the whole world!
Only 5 places like that are in the world: in the Tokyo, in Austria, in Germany, in Melbourne (Australia) and in Liverpool – FACT.
It was (Mike’s presentation) a few weeks ago; but today, after visiting the FACT I understood why FACT Biennial exhibition called “Mother’s Touch”.
It is because of video installation, short video film in the foyer of FACT. It is the work of Japanese artist Meiro Koizumi My Voice Would Reach You.
In a video documenting a performance of sorts, a male protagonist makes an idealised telephone call that falls on deaf ears. The man pours out his thoughts and emotions to his mother, amidst a backdrop of a busy Tokyo street, but on the other end of the line a call centre employee is revealed to be desperately trying to make sense of what she is hearing.
Reflecting on both the estrangement of life in the city and the folly of modern familial relationships, Koizumi contrasts humour with heartfelt emotion to create an absurd scenario that is compounded by the lead actor’s own experience of losing a mother. Here and in his other work, he uses video in a way that documents performances, conversations and constructed scenarios to explore the psychology of urban relationships and modern living.
I never paid attention to this video before. I quite dislike and don’t understand contemporary video art. But I keep trying to understand it and be confident about it.
I live and understand the movies. Not those “loud-blockbusters-action-iron-men-like”; I like movies which makes my feelings blow. What is different between movies and video art? Time of screening?
Whatever…
I like theme “Mother’s touch” anyway.
So I asked Mike: “Why his exhibition called “Mother’s Touch”? There are nothing about mother and child?
Nowadays it is so hard to be a mother. Good one. There is very horrible reality outside the doorstep and there are no answers for children questions”.
He responded: “Horrible?!!! No! Life is beautiful!!!”
And he became busy to sign books for students.
