Title: Raptor 2002

Project Description:
This work looks at the uneasy relationship we have with the predatory species of birds - Raptors. This genre of birds seem to have kept their distance from the endeavours of mankind and as such have been viewed by us as both symbolic of great power and independence, as well as representing with foreboding a type of darker existence. It’s life courts death, its position is reliant on the subjugation of other species, and as such, is still vulnerable to the delicate balance of our ecosystem

In this work a bird of prey is filmed in the interior of a contemporary office space. The environment of the ‘office’, though now equipped with sophisticated software to simplify our lives, dominates our day in a way that would have been unimaginable to previous generations. Their endless emission of data is tethered to almost every pursuit we undertake. Into this the bird flies, at once out of place, both menacing and prophetic, it appears as a small dot in the distance, slowly taking shape amongst the every day furniture of monitors, benches, printers and chairs approaching the camera steadfast and purposeful. Raptor builds upon the themes dealt with by Dalziel + Scullion, it is mysterious and beautiful but also underscored with a dark portent.

This is an edition of three.

Shown at:
This work is made to be shown on a plasma screen and has been exhibited at Houldsworth Gallery, London 2002, The Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, UK 2002 and Glasgow Art Fair, UK 2003.