RSA New Contemporaries, Royal Scottish Academy, 2017
Video interviews and confessional monologues from bird characters produce a distorted sense of reality, as they speak of their daily lives and struggles.
At the opening evening, the birds emerge once more, flocking and prancing amongst the audience before a monologue is delivered. Cigarette filters are thrown to the birds, an empty, transactional gesture, echoing the way artists are frequently offered exposure in place of remuneration.
Video on monitors and performance Performers: Francesca Hawker, James Findlay, Heidi Chiu Music: Jame Findlay Blackbird Recording: Paul Nesbitt
Empty Words, Rich Songs was created at a time of
abrupt closure of Inverleith House that prompted more than 10,000 people to sign a petition against the move (see article). The work had invited Paul Nesbitt the Director of Exhibitions and curator of The Inverleith House for 30 years to record his voice as a blackbird to memoralise his time at the gallery.
The sign ‘Can’t Afford a Miracle’ in mirroring Nathan Coley’s illuminated text, ‘There Will Be No Miracles Here’ at The National Galleries of Scotland is a response to the
peculiar dilemma of the arts with regard to the economy and the art spaces and programmes that are cut as a result. The road sign was placed in front of the closed Inverleith House at the end of the exhibition run at the RSA.