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Flickering Lights


Summerhall, Edinburgh, until May 18th
4 stars
Up in the Lower Church Gallery end of Summerhall, three very different video works are in motion as part of the best arts space in Edinburgh's latest huge exhibition programme. David Bellingham's 'An Object Revolving Around A Day / An Object Revolving Round Events' is a four-minute animated burl round a yellow sun and a blur moon that recalls a wonkier take on the opening credits of 1970s eco-friendly sit-com, The Good Life. '2013.01.27 – 11.52' is self-christened artistic family collective, Maris,' film of their daily drive from their country home to their studio filmed through their car wind-screen. Best of all is 'Lolcatz', Rachel Maclean's epic day-glo digital mash-up involving Egyptian cat worship, the Tower of Babel, Starbucks and internet meme subtitles.

While the cyclic inevitability of Bellingham's piece is as appealingly hypnotic as the accompanying flick-book produced for the show, and the mundane ritual of Maris' lays bare a pilgrimage of sorts, it is McLean's cartoon pop-vid bravura that stands out. The cos-playing nouveau Warhollian Wonderland her characters occupy may appear kitty-kat cute, but, as with the little guy who became the Wizard of Oz, there's something darker at play in a piece of very serious fun. 

The List, March 2013

ends


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