IN WITNESS OF YOURSELF - VIDEO BY VALERIE OLIVER | 15th to 23rd December 2006 | | Queensmere Shopping Centre, Slough, SL1 1DG |
Clip from video. 2006. (c) Valerie Oliver	This Christmas Gallery 435 take to Slough's Queensmere Observatory Shopping Centre for an arresting display of video art. In her work "in witness of yourself" Valerie Oliver explores the concept of private thoughts in public spaces. We often receive video art submissions for shows. Most of the video art we see conforms to the rules laid down about what video art 'is' or 'should be'. Oliver produces work that is very, very different. Whilst cinematic in style, with a coherent narrative and deliberately choreographed presentation, it is the experimental nature of Oliver's work that marks a departure from traditional film. The show comprises six short monologues spoken by a 13 year old. The images of the boy are obfuscated yet the words he is speaking are a shocking revelation of intimate thoughts. The language is poetic and adult, starkly contrasting with the intonation of a boy who, one feels, is too young to connect with the content of the words he is speaking. In this way, the artist's words are liberated, given life and energy that leaves them hanging in the air. Engaging the audience through the unusual delivery of the work, we are invited to reflect upon why a young man, whose life is still being shaped, has been used to present such adult concepts.
Oliver's work is reminiscent of the work of Gary Hill, one of the founding fathers of video art. In his piece "Remarks on Colour (1994)", Hill asked his young daughter Anastasia to read a series of excerpts from the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein's book of the same name. Oliver strongly contrasts and departs from Hill's work, however. In her use of a child, interestingly her son, she clarifies the meaning of her work whereas Hill revealed the limitations of language. Rather than a mere reflection on the philosophy of comprehension, Valerie's work is made more poignant and touching as a result of the obvious emotional nature of the pieces. The exposure of the artist's intimate thoughts in a shopping centre appealed to us not least because of its incongruity to the superficial nature of modern yuletide commercialism. Gallery 435 offers an oasis of calm amidst the chaos of Christmas spending and a chance to consciously reflect upon our own intimate thoughts at this time of collective unconscious consumerism. Supported by:

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