Atsuhiro Ito. Courtesy Dundee Contemporary Arts
Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA) is hosting a weekend festival of live experimental music, films and art for February 2006.
Now in its third year at the DCA, Kill Your Timid Notion, curated and programmed by Edinburgh-based Barry Esson, will run from February 17-19, 2006.
In the past it has celebrated the gallery's collective passion for experimental music, film and visual art and stepped across the boundaries between sound and vision.
Esson, who is also responsible for events such as Instal at The Arches, Glasgow and Music Lovers' Field Companion, The Sage, Gateshead, is more than enthusiastic about this year's programme, which he described as the strongest so far.
Atsuhiro Ito. Courtesy Dundee Contemporary Arts
"I really believe that what we are presenting are unique, spectacular events, accessible to all because they celebrate exploration and experiment,” said Esson. “This year's festival looks set to be the best yet - the most daring and, hopefully, the most rewarding."
The three-day event will showcase performances and film screenings from some of the most influential and exciting experimental musicians working today, along with younger, up and coming visual artists.
Events include the UK premiere of structural film work by early Velvet Underground member Tony Conrad. 'Ten Years Alive On The Infinite Plane' will be performed live on the opening night, whilst another of his films, 'The Flicker', can be seen the following day.
Numerous performances and screenings will take place over the weekend, including work by Christian Marclay, Thomas Koner, Paul Sharits, Kazuo Imai and Atsuhiro Ito (pictured), a visual artist who explores fluorescent light and the sounds it generates.
Daniel Menche. Courtesy Dundee Contemporary Arts
Three-day festival passes can be purchased for £26 with concessions available. Visitors can also buy separate one-day passes or even pay separately to see a particular film screening.
Esson said he was keen to open the even to a wider audience - even those who might be unfamiliar with experimental music and film. However, he expressed the worry that word such as “experimental” and “avant-garde” can often be off-putting.
“'Experimental' doesn't mean art that's dull, torpid or pretentious. It means taking chances, going beyond the norm - finding your own voice,” he explained. “But the need by some artists to step across the border between sound and image is pretty exciting and unique; we think a wider audience might, too,” Esson added.
The event looks set to be one of the most interesting so far this year for DCA and it will be accompanied by 'Word Processor', an exhibition by artist Dereck Lodge, which runs from February 18 - March 26, 2006.
