Simon Lawrence (SQUARE2)
PFFFFT
The emotionally engaging and amusing display of PFFFFT's moving-image works attract and absorb their prey as we wait patiently as viewers to see more, or how, or for something to go ever-so-slightly, if not drastically, wrong. But rather than exercises in heady experimentation, these scenes appear more like a period of training or a series of treadmill tasks in which the onscreen figure, which may or may not be able to be read as Lawrence himself, hones his skills, powers of concentration and unusual demeanor.
With an earnestly impressive resolve, this contemporary conjurer is most certainly more accomplished than Mike TV in his transportation from one screen to the other and back again, seemingly intact. Such a comparison may seem simplistic, but if we consider for a moment the other artifacts proffered as associated elements of this peculiarly arcane or imaginative practice of Lawrence's we might get a little closer to the real cost or potential benefit of such supernatural experiments.
Kate Montgomery
This text is an edited extract from Kate Montgomery, ‘Simon Lawrence: catalogue text’, High Street Project website: http://www.hsp.org.nz, Christchurch: High Street Project, 2006.
Simon Lawrence artist bio:
Born 1972, Christchurch
Lives and works in Christchurch
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Sculpture), University of Canterbury, Christchurch
Selected solo exhibitions include: 'PFFFFT', High St Project, Christchurch (2005); 'Leo Will Never Get Sick or Die Solo', High St Project, Christchurch (2003); 'Through my repeated attempts to repair the window I have developed pneumonia' (collaboration with Robert Hood), The Physics Room, Christchurch (2003); 'The Escape of Bullet Catching or Knights of Vaudeville and the Paradox of the Eye of the Paradox (sort-of)' (collaboration with Robert Hood), Enjoy Public Art Gallery, Wellington (2002); 'Polygraph Falls in Love' (collaboration with Robert Hood), High St Project, Christchurch (2002).
Selected group exhibitions include: 'Break: Construct', Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth (2006); 'Trust Waikato National Contemporary Arts Award Exhibition', Waikato Museum, Hamilton (2006).
Image credits:
Simon Lawrence
Stills from PFFFFT 2006
DVD
Courtesy of the artist