Excavator-Barcelona, 1985-88media > three-dimensional collages, diorama, book.back to > PROJECT LISTMost images can be viewed larger by clicking on the image. |
As with ‘Ground Zero Inc’, and ‘The Highstreet SW11’, Tilson collected materials from a specific urban environment, in this case the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona. Collage work prior to this had relied heavily upon found photographs, texts from magazines, brochures, books and other printed matter. With ‘Excavator’ Tilson changed tactics and created his own source material of photographs and texts. Appropriated text from a clandestine pro-terrorist publication on police detecting methods was rewritten as a narrative and then typeset. | The photographs and text were further manipulated on photocopiers. Tilson was able to explore narrative themes and urban ambience across different media - a book - a diorama and collages - placing elements where they would be most effective and appropriate. Source material suggested an intimate scale for the works, echoing the claustrophobic streets of the Barrio Gotico. The developing narrative which used a fictional character, Mr Emerson, dealt with the traces of a murder, time travel, new geography and the archaeology of collage. The city seen as an archeological detective story. |  El Misterio de la Habitacion Numero 5 1986mixed media diorama. 236x137x72cm. Private collection. |
 Rip 1986-88mixed media 30x28cm. Artists collection |
 Calle 1986-88mixed media 26x41 cm. Artists collection |
 Parallel 1986-88mixed media 26x41 cm. Collection Stylt Goteborg |
 Barrio Gotico 1986-88mixed media 22x38cm. Private collection Goteborg |
 Time Seap 1986-88mixed media 32x23 cm. Artists collection |
 Sound Storms 1986-88mixed media 35x16 cm. Artists collection |
 The Focused Search 1986-87mixed media 35x51 cm. Private collection London |
 Night Vision 1986-87mixed media 35x48cm. Collection Peter & Christine Apelgren, Gotegorg |
 Tarjeta de Embarque 1986-88mixed media 57x38 cm. Artists collection |
 Isn't Time Travel a Wonderful Thing 1986mixed media 13"x21". Private collection |
 Classic Ticket Series 1986mixed media 15X15". Private collection London |
 the Birthplace of Columbus 1986-87mixed media 30"x30". Private collection Sussex |
Excavator-Barcelona-Excavador 1986-87
book instantprint, b&w xerox, Canon Laser copies, rubber stamps, bought objects, 44 page softback book. 28 x 20 cm Tilson exploited an early Canon copiers's depth of focus for the cover. For the title page he made an "E" from earth which he glued to paper and photocopied. The Excavator lettering was adapted from a Catalan newspaper still printed by letterpress. |
"There are hints at a story; seven murders have taken place and an archaeologist, Mr Emerson, is on the trail of the killer....He plays with the idea of an archaeologist digging through time - but with his horizons focused on solving the murder mystery - setting beside this the juxtapositions of his collages and making references to bogus systems and series which paradoy scientific investigations. It’s an Alice in Wonderland logic, in which the gaps play a crucial part. The more facts we think we have, the less we actually discover.
" Cathy Courtney - ART MONTHLY. |
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