Rhizomatic is one of a series of solo exhibitions of film, video, installation and new media soon to be presented at the National Art Gallery by Eraj Wijeyesekera.
At a time, when many film makers and artists opt to drive home their point as subtly as a flying mallet, the themes, the nuances and underlying meanings implicit in Rhizomatic make the exhibits on display distinctive.
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| A scene from Aghori |
The term ‘rhizome’ is derived both from the botanical term for an underground stem which grows horizontally and the philosophical concept developed by Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, which explores the significant discussion of a changing configuration of media-elements; a fusion of language systems.
Eraj’s work touches upon themes such as identifying contemporary motifs in cultural migration, archival systems as well as de-territorialization (the severance of control and order from their native places and population) and post colonial critique.
‘Aghori’ – a high definition experimental video (featured on our magazine cover) which marks the film debut of Tracy Holsinger also features a performance by author Ashok Ferrey, while Thushara Kulatunga performs the role of the Aghori.
It focuses on a young man who attempts to emulate the Aghoris. The Aghoris are a Hindu sect of ascetics, known for their cannibalistic rituals and, who in turn imitate the third phase of Shiva. However soon, there arises a sharp contrast between the young man’s motives for becoming an Aghori and the actual life of an Aghori.
“My character was a saadhu, who had been through the trials and tribulations of life and come back to normal life while commanding some of the powers he had before. I had to cast out the devil from a supplicant (who was by the way brilliantly acted by Tracy Holsinger),” says Ashok Ferrey, who, interestingly enough had to enact the casting out of a spirit purely through facial expressions.
“The bits I saw looked really spectacular when I saw the rushes. Quite mystical, actually. I’m dying to see the whole film,” explained Ashok adding that the cinematography and beautiful shots alone would be worth watching.
‘Aghori’ is based on the archival footage of a pre-existing documentary, made by an Indian director (intended for a Euro-centric audience) and is transmitted in a series of silent, fragmented performances. By mirroring the original, ‘Aghori’ aims to make a statement on the disjointed scattering of media and information as well as the authenticity of the documentary, while playing on the human psyche.
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| Eraj at work |
Eraj, who has a double major in philosophy and film studies from the University of Southern California and fine arts, Central Saint Martins, explains that most scenes were shot in natural light, while others were shot around an installation in artificial lighting.
Another of his videos, ‘The migrant dream’ is solely a peripheral field, in a (predominantly) rainforest milieu, with no physical representation of the subject in question. It begins with an illusory serenity, lulling the viewer into a false sense of security, only to rapidly dispel this momentary feeling with staccato like changeovers and rapid images.
In the video installation ‘eastcoastwestcoast thenewrevolution’ the overload of information confronting the viewer is impossible to ignore. Two vertically placed black and white screens present the audience with opposing pictures – one of a subtitled (but noiseless) conversation between artists Robert Smithson and Nancy Holt, while the other depicts the commentary of a philosopher. An interesting facet of this video installation is the placement of the two screens – deliberately placing it vertically results in the inability to absorb two sets of information from both screens.
Rhizomatic will be on display at the National Art Gallery on January 6, 7 and 8 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Entrance is free. |
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