Another fine tune
Matt McGuire has a sneak of preview of Relay, an exhibition exploring sound
Come with me now on a journey into sound. Or, to be more precise, sound art.
Nestling in the heart of The Lanes, in the little-known Friese Greene Gallery, is an exhibition called Relay. It’s the brainchild of Julian Weaver and Gavin Peacock, otherwise known as Finetuned, a ‘curatorial organisation’ that commissions and exhibits work that ‘manifests a particular engagement with sound’. A chewy concept, perhaps, dear reader, but a fascinating and entertaining one too. Go on then, read on.
“We started Finetuned because we wanted to help highlight the nationally and internationally renowned artists that live and work in and around Brighton,” explains Julian. “Too often they exhibit in London or Helsinki or elsewhere too far afield. We wanted to bring them closer to home.”
“We wanted to help highlight the nationally and internationally renowned artists that live and work in and around Brighton”
This latest exhibition (divided into two parts) features installations and text from eight artists and writers, all on or relating to the subject of sound. The second half gets underway on 30 November and includes such delights as a silent six-foot church bell built from 125 rings of lasercut MDF, the recording of the tuning of a bell at the foundry that created Big Ben and a set of mic’d-up automated swings.
“The gallery is the main outlet for the exhibition,” begins Gavin. “But it’s also being broadcast to the Ruskin School of Drawing in Oxford, Quay Arts on the Isle of Wight and Farnham Maltings in Surrey.” “It’s all about reaching different people,” adds Julian. “Ouroutreach programme used the slogan: ‘Love art, hate galleries?’ There shouldn’t be boundaries to these things. Hopefully we can engage with people that wouldn’t normally access this type of event.”
As you might imagine, Julian and Gavin don’t have common-or-garden CVs. “I guess I’m a sculptor,” smiles Gavin, whose previous work included ‘Flatpack’, a series of modular units that audiences could arrange and rearrange as they saw fit. “But lately I’ve been working more with video, including the Compton Skyline Project [part of the Brighton Festival].”
“While I work primarily with sound,” reveals Julian. “And on locating the disparities in historical documents. Not to mention researching events throughout history that have links to both zeppelins and pianos.“ Excuse me? “Yes, there’s a lot of them,” he grins. “For example, the Hindenburg had an aluminium and pigskin baby grand aboard…”
With facts like that at their fingertips, you know these are people you can trust to put on a show.
Relay is at Friese Greene Gallery, 15–17 Middle Street, Brighton, from 30 Nov–21Dec.
Open Tues–Sun 12pm–6pm. Visit www.finetuned.org
