ORCID

Abstract

Single channel moving image artwork with stereo sound, comprising 8mm archival 'home move' footage and present-day HD video and contemporaneous field recordings.Cinematic memories of long-forgotten arrivals and departures ‘projected’ onto mysterious upwellings and whirlpools to conjure the confluence of histories at Devil’s Point, the rocky promontory on the westernmost edge of Plymouth.Filmed at Devil's Point, where the swirling waters of the River Tamar pour through the narrow gap between Devon and Cornwall to meet the salty tides of Plymouth Sound, its topography producing riptides and whirlpools, and unique meteorological conditions. These dangerous waters gave Devil’s Point its name. It is the place where Francis Drake is said to have met the witches with whom he conjured up the storm that drove the Spanish Armada away from England’s shores. Here, Captain Cook set sail on his three voyages of discovery and the naturalist Charles Darwin sailed off to the Galapagos.We aimed to capture the confluence of the histories and lived experience of this place for the audience in moving image and sound. Our research project began with a field trip to the location, when we walked to the end of Devil's Point and recorded our conversation by the sea. We then responded to the moving image material held by the South West Film and Television Archive (SWFTA) that features Devil’s Point, and engaged in a reflective dialogic process at the location, recording our thoughts. We shared our research conversations at the location, at SWFTA and in the edit suite as a series of podcasts, which were posted on the Centre for Moving Image Research CMIR-RWA Moving Image Art Bursary blogsite (available online from autumn 2014 until the start of 2017).Commissioned by Centre for Moving Image Research, University of the West of England, and Royal West of England Academy, BristolSupported by a CMIR-RWA Moving Image Art Bursary8mm footage courtesy of South West Film and Television Archive2 minutes. Originally titled 'Maelstrom: the Return', we tend to use the shortened form of 'Maelstrom'.60 second version digitally remastered for the One Minute Volume 9 collection of artists' moving image curated by Kerry Baldry; released 2016.FILM PREMIERE'CMIR-RWA Moving Image Art Bursaries Winners' exhibition, Fedden Gallery, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol (premiere, 27 October to 2 November, and 25 to 30 November 2014)

Publication Date

2014-11-25

Keywords

8mm film, archive, artistic research, artist's moving image, creative practice, materiality, memory, River Tamar, tide, Plymouth

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