Erika Tan: Persistent Visions

Erika Tan studied Social Anthropology and Archaeology at Kings College, Cambridge; Film Directing at The Beijing Film Academy, followed by an MA in Fine Art at Central Saint Martins School of Art, London. Her work is often informed by specific cultural, geographical or physical contexts - exploring different media to excite and confront an audience. Her work has been included in exhibitions such as EAST International and Cities on the Move at the Hayward Gallery. Tan was commissioned by Film & Video Umbrella to produce PIDGIN in 2001 that toured to Liverpool, Norwich and Portsmouth.

Persistent Visions is a three screen installation work which questions the nature, status and classification of archive collections within the empire and commonwealth story at the Museum in Bristol. By interrogating the vaults of stored material culture Tan illuminates hidden meanings and messages, unearthing personal and subjective histories occluded by the grander structures of empire. The tensions between foreground and background narratives are highlighted through editing and image manipulation. Tan focuses on 40 years worth of amateur movie-making material from all over the world. Cine cameras were used to record a personal response to family and working life in a particular place and time. In one powerful set of images for example ladies picnic-ing in white summer dresses are set against a back-drop of black servants clearing tea sets; with hindsight this is an emblem of the inequalities underlying empire.

Commissioned by Picture This as part of Ghosting, a national touring exhibition of newly commissioned moving image works by Erika Tan, Harold Offeh and Ansuman Biswas which explore themes of archive, memory and ethnography. Funded by Arts Council England.

Exhibition:
25 February 2005 - 17 April 2005

Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester

26 November 2005 - 8 January 2006

Chapter, Cardiff

18 February - 8 April 2006

Angel Row Gallery, Nottingham

03 - 25 June 2006

A Bond, Bristol