Universal (near Iron Springs, Alberta) 2010

Universal (near Iron Springs, Alberta) 2010 portrays on a pair of oil derricks on the Canadian landscape, near Calgary.  As is typical of works from the 'Animated Scene' series, the name of the work is derived from the company name of the firm that installed them, to be seen on the arms of the machines. 

And as with all of Gerrard’s simulated environments, the scene exists in real time and runs on an orbital cycle that incorporates both local light and celestial patterns.
Rather than being a recorded document that is projected, as is the case in a traditional cinematic work, the image one encounters in this work is a direct, real time feed from a virtual environment, with the camera that circles the portrait better conceived of as a mechanical eye than as a recording device. (AO)

Producer: Werner Poetzelberger
Programming: Helmut Bressler, Matthias Strohmaier
Modelling: Daniel Fellsner

Installed at Void Gallery
Derry, Northern Ireland
1 March - 1 April 2011
380 cm x 219 cm x 30 cm artist - designed projection wall

Photos by Paolo Bernadelli

Exhibitions

Universal at Museum of Contemporary Art, Australia, 2012

29 March - 3 June, 2012
'Marking Time'
Group show curated by Rachel Kent.
depicted with Oil Stick Work (Angelo Martinez / Richfield, Kansas) 2008

Marking Time explored the ways in which artists visualise time and its passing, across diverse media – drawing and watercolour, sculpture and installation, sound and light. An international exhibition selected by MCA Senior Curator Rachel Kent, Marking Time presented major works by eleven artists from Australia, Brazil, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and the United States in the Museum’s spacious new top floor galleries.
http://www.mca.com.au/

Universal at Void Gallery, Derry, N. Ireland, 2011

1 March – 1 April 2011
John Gerrard 'Universal'
Solo exhibition curated by Jonathan Cummins
3800 cm x 2138 cm x 30 cm artist–designed projection wall

Void is delighted to present the first exhibition in Northern Ireland by Irish artist John Gerrard.
The exhibition consists of Sow Farm (Near Libbey, Oklahoma) 2009 a screen-based work depicting a vast and unmanned, computer-controlled animal farming facility, and Universal (Near Iron Springs, Alberta) 2011, a high-resolution projection, which centres on a pair of oil derricks situated in the Canadian landscape, near Calgary. Universal takes its title from the name of the firm that installed the derrick and which can be found emblazoned on the arms of the machines. 'Universal' extends Gerrard’s Animated Scene series, with its strong emphasis on exchanges of power and energy and last shown at the Venice Biennale in 2009.
...
www.derryvoid.com

Universal at Simon Preston Gallery, 2010

4 November – 19 December 2010
John Gerrard 'Cuban School'

Simon Preston is pleased to present John Gerrard's second solo exhibition at the gallery. The exhibition will comprise of a major new work, shown as a large-scale double-projection, titled Cuban School (Community 5th of October) 2010. The show will open to the public on Thursday, 4 November and run until Sunday, 19 December 2010.
Cuban School (Community 5th of October) 2010 is a portrait of an existing building, situated in the countryside outside Havana.
...
www.simonprestongallery.com
 

Research

2012 · UNIVERSAL / MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART, AUSTRALIA
2011 · UNIVERSAL / VOID GALLERY, DERRY, N. IRELAND
Photo: Paola Bernardell
2011 · UNIVERSAL / VOID GALLERY, DERRY, N. IRELAND
Photo: Paola Bernardell
2010 · UNIVERSAL / SIMON PRESTON GALLERY
2010 · UNIVERSAL / SIMON PRESTON GALLERY
Working Drawing for Universal (near Iron Springs, Alberta) 2010 2010 giglee print on hahnemuehle photorag Edition of 15 + 5AP
Satellite image of the landscape recreated in the work image from Google Earth

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