‘Equilibrium’
DATE: 2010
MEDIA six-minute 16mm film with surround sound transferred to DVD
‘Equilibrium’ work starts with a field recording of the completely white bats, known as the ‘Northern Ghost Bat’ or ‘Diclidurus Albus’. Bats employ a system of ‘echolocation’ to create a perceptual understanding of their environment, finding their balance in darkness by emitting ultrasonic sounds that echo around their surroundings, then back to their ear muscles.
In ‘Equilibrium’, the sounds of these rare bats are arranged, using the same eleven-syllable structure that forms the meter in Ancient Greek lyric poetry, into a composition that is then interpreted by the acrobat Leo Hedman. The black and white film shows Hedman performing a rope-routine, testing the limits of balance.
The film is accompanied by a series of sketches, photographs and material Maciá has produced and developed while researching the concepts of equilibrium, ranging from ink drawings to plasticine models, film stills and philosophical references.
Presented at
‘Robert Mapplethorpe: Night Work’, Alison Jacques Gallery, London, 2011
‘Oswaldo Maciá: Equilibrium’ (solo exhibition), Espaivisor, Valencia, Spain, 2010
‘daydreaming with…’, Haunch of Venison, London, 2010
