The Futurist, 2010
Time lapse, 4’
Still of 'The Futurist'. Courtesy of the artist
This piece of Emily Richardson (United Kingdom, 1971) is part of The Cinema Series, a set of single shot films made in independent cinemas.
As the shift from 35mm to digital projection systems takes place, the position of these cinemas becomes increasingly more fragile. It exemplifies how technology interrelates with specific places in creating the cinema-going experience. As could not be otherwise, architecture is the main focus of the video, which endeavours to capture the identity of the space by means of artifice.
The work consists in a single 360 degree time-lapsed shot while a feature film is being projected in the cinema. The sound, recorded live from the projection booth, becomes a cacophony, contrasting with the silence of the empty theatre. The Futurist continues the artist’s exploration of the cultural meaning of place over the last decade. At once, it pays tribute to The Futurist, a 2000 seat cinema in Scarborough threatened with closure.
Produced by: Lumen and imove, Yorkshire’s Legacy Trust programme.
Funded by: Legacy Trust UK, Arts Council and Yorkshire Forward
Acknowledgments: Andrew Nesbit and Colin Bainbridge, The Futurist, Scarborough
