Friday, January 19, 2018

Roddy Bell - More Imaginary Science

 4th-21st  January 2018
Open:
Thursdays from 15.00 – 19.00
Saturdays and Sundays : 12.00 – 16.00

Oslo Prosjketrom, Platous gate 18, 0191 Oslo.
Opening: Thursday 4th January, 19.00-20.30

In his exhibition at Oslo Prosjektrom Roddy Bell presents a series of photographic diptychs, entitled “The Effect is the Shadow of the Cause”. These works, produced as installations for camera, suggests a disruption in our straightforward understanding of how cause and effect follow a linear relationship with each other. What if this relationship was reversed, or could exist simultaneously in time and space?
The exhibition also includes a floor installation entitled “Stuart and his Daimonion – 2”. This work is a further development in his thematic interest in The Daimonion.* (the “inner voice” that Socrates referred to as his spiritual guide)
Here video projection on water vapors, diverse materials and sound in the form of a dialogue between a young male voice and his “daimonion”, personified here in the form of a ventriloquist dummy, argue in a Beckettian manner, while waiting for “something” to happen.

Short bio:
Roddy Bell is British, born in Syrium, Burma in 1951 and has been a resident in Norway since 1978. He works with sculpture, drawing, prints, installation, sound and texts. He is member of Society of Norwegian Visual Artists, Society of Norwegian Sculptors and Norwegian Drawing Association. He is professor emeritus in drawing and form at the Institute for Landscape Architecture, NMBU, Ås.   

The Daimonion:
There are two impressive observations concerning Socrates that motivate the present discussion. The first of these is the indisputable claim that Socrates was a man committed to the fullest possible use of his reason. This is apparent from even the most superficial examination of his life and teaching, and is often made explicit in his own words.
If the commitment to a full use of human reason is one sure fact about Socrates, however, there is another fact--if the evidence from primary sources can be trusted--which is just as certain. Socrates received unquestionably and un­questioningly the guidance of the daimonion. His reliance on the daimonion was well known; he spoke of it often, and in no less than eight dialogs attributed to Plato and three writings of Xenophon are there specific references to it.
When these two observations are brought together, the resulting picture is of a man dedicated to using his reason and at the same time obeying without question the counsel of his daimonion.
From: THE DAIMONION OF SOCRATES: A SEARCH FOR DEFINITION AND AN EPISTEMOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT by ALTON R. POPE , B.M.E., Cornell University, 1951 S.T.B., Boston University, 1957

This exhibition has kindly received financial project support from Norsk kulturråd and Billedkunstners hjelpefond.