Chris Meigh-Andrews

"Solar Breath (Northern Caryatids)" Michael Snow, 2002

British Film Institute, London: Dec 2008-Jan 2009

Yes Snow Show consists of a selection of video works by Michael Snow made for gallery exhibition curated by Chris Meigh-Andrews and Elisabetta Fabrizzi. There is no unifying theme but rather these distinct, individual pieces together reveal the continuing development of the artist’s moving image practice in a digital age.

Since Snow’s first gallery film installation in 1965, his practice as a visual artist is closely linked to his work as a filmmaker, mutually influencing each other. At the BFI, Snow will present Solar Breath (Northern Caryatids), 2002 an unaltered video recording of a natural phenomena. The decision against using any post-shooting manipulation makes this work in the artist’s own words ‘pure solar breath magic’. In contrast SSHTOORRTY, 2005 another piece in the exhibition, is staged and acted. The film was divided into equal parts, superimposed one on top of the other, revealing unexpected, surprising effects. That / Cela / Dat, 1999 is a gallery installation work that continues the motifs and formal principles of Snow’s 1982 film So Is This, but conceived to consciously use the gallery viewing situation as one of its conditions and subjects, whilst Sheeploop, 2000 is shown in the gallery as well as in different locations around BFI Southbank, allowing the context to influence the perception of the work.

During exhibitions, the Gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday (and Bank Holiday Mondays)
from 11:00 – 20:00

Entrance to the BFI Southbank Gallery is FREE

Talks and screenings

Michael Snow in Conversation. with Elisabetta Fabrizi, BFI Head of Exhibitions and Chris Meigh-Andrews, artist and academic.
Sat 6 Dec, 18:10, NFT3
Joint ticket available with Triage + A Casing Shelved

La Région Centrale, 1971. Dir Michael Snow. 180 min.
Fri 5 Dec, 19:00, NFT3, with introduction by Michael Snow.

Triage, 2004. Dir Michael Snow and Carl Brown. 30 min. + A Casing Shelved, 1970. Dir Michael Snow. 40 min.
Sat 6 Dec, 20:30, NFT3

WVLNT (WAVELENGTH for Those Who Don’t Have the Time), Originally 45 min, now 15!, 1966-67/2003. Dir Michael Snow. 15 min (on loop)
Sun 7 Dec, 12:00 – 18:00, Studio
FREE

Wavelength, 1966/67. Dir Michael Snow. 45 min. + One Second in Montreal, 1969. Dir Michael Snow. 26 min.
Thu 1 Jan, 20:50, NFT2
Wed 7 Jan, 18:30, NFT2

(Back and Forth), 1968/69. Dir Michael Snow. 53 min. + See You Later/Au Revoir, 1990. Dir Michael Snow. 18 min.
Mon 5 Jan, 20:30, NFT3
Fri 16 Jan, 18:10, NFT3

Reverberlin, 2007. Dir Michael Snow. 55 min. + The Living Room, 2000. Dir Michael Snow. 20 min.
Mon 12 Jan, 20:40, NFT2
Sun 18 Jan, 18:20, NFT2

Wavelength, 1966/67. Dir Michael Snow. 45 min. + Event: Wavelength: Discussion on the enduring legacies of Michael Snow’s masterpiece with contributions from thinkers and artists such as Brad Butler and William Raban.
Thu 15 Jan, 18:10, NFT3

Presents, 1981. Dir Michael Snow. 90 min.
Wed 21 Jan, 20:45pm, NFT2
Sat 24 Jan, 18:30pm, NFT2