La Corrida - Dreams in Red

T I M

S H A W THE ORIGINS OF THE DRUMMER LA CORRIDA - DREAMS IN RED

La Co rr i d a ~ D re a m s i n R e d . 1 9 9 7 - 9 .

T h e i n s t a l l a t i o n d e p i c t s a wo r l d t h a t r a g e s w i t h a n explo s i ve k n i fe - e d g e e n e r g y, p a s s i o n a n d g r a c e . Elements of beaut y, s e n s u a l i t y an d b r u t a l i t y a re m e r g e d t o gether. Bulls charg e a c ro s s t h e are n a , f i g u re s d a n c e , t u r n a n d gesture as if drive n by a n eve r- p re s e n t aw a re n e s s o f m o r tality. Small wax a n d re s i n t o re a d o r s , d a n c e r s , b u l l s a n d horses are placed u p o n a t h re e - m e t re w i d e d r u m s h ap e d table , which is cove re d w i t h a t h i n l aye r o f re d p i g m e n t . T h e figures are illumi n a t e d by u l t r a - v i o l e t a n d f i b re - o p t i c l i g hting, which cast s h a d ow s o n t o t h e s u rro u n d i n g w a l l s . I m a g e s repeatedly appea r a n d f a d e i n t o d a r k n e s s t o t h e s o u n d of flamenco, merge d w i t h vo i c e s e d i t e d f ro m a r a d i o.

The wo r k i s i n s p i re d by m e m o r a b l e eve n t s t h at occurred in 199 6 d u r i n g a t h re e m o n t h re s i d e n c y i n A n d a lucia, Spain.

One o f t h o s e e x p e r i e n c e s h ap p e n e d o n t h e evening of Good F r i d ay. I s t u m b l e d i n t o a p a c ke d s q u a re in Seville and s aw fo r t h e f i r s t t i m e , a c a r ve d wo o d e n e ffig y of the Virgin M a r y w h o s a t i n h e r s h i p o f l i g h t s . F ro m t he shadowy balco ny a b ove , a o l d wo m a n s a n g S a e t a t o the divine Mothe r b e l ow, h e r vo i c e g r i p p e d t h e c row d w ho stood in silenc e a s t h e m o o n t u r n re d .

La Co rr i d a ~ D re a m s i n R e d p rov i d e d t h e f i r s t c omposition of a f i g u re o n a b a l l .

Published by Millennium to coincide with the exhibition ‘The Origins of The Drummer’ by Tim Shaw All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publishers

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