Bodies of Water

ELIZABETH OGILVIE BODIES OF WATER Elizabeth Og\ilvie Bodies of Water Dundee Contemporary Arts Dundee Contemporary Arts ISBN 0 9542026 7 8 Ogilvie CVR 1 28/9/07, 1:41 pm Ogilvie CVR 2 28/9/07, 1:41 pm Elizabeth Ogilvie: Bodies of Water 16 December 2005 to 12 February 2006 Dundee Contemporary Arts © Dundee Contemporary Arts, the artist and authors Photography by Ruth Clark [DCA], the artist, Robert Callender Designed and typeset in Univers and Helvetica by Dalrymple Printed in Northern Ireland by Nicholson & Bass ISBN 0 9542026 7 8 Exhibition supported by Edinburgh College of Art, Fife Council, The Hope Scott Trust, The Russell Trust. Publication supported by The Carnegie Trust, Edinburgh College of Art, The Hope Scott Trust. Dundee Contemporary Arts 152 Nethergate · Dundee DD1 4DY T: +44 (0)1382 909900 F: +44 (0)1382 909221 www.dca.org.uk Supported by 11 Foreword Katrina M. Brown 12 Acknowledgements 14 on a stretch of moor Thomas A. Clark 23 Drawing with water Wendy Gunn 39 Catalogue 46 Biography Foreword Water has recently and increasingly been fostered an appreciation of its power, both described as the oil of the twenty-first century. It physical and emotional. Her art does not seek to is a powerful analogy, as it not only acknowledges promote the fast emerging politics of water, but the fundamental necessity of the substance to operates at a more essential level to encourage civilised life, its scarcity as a natural resource and us to consider its worth: to marvel at its visual the politics of ownership and control. It also and physical effect, to appreciate its universal evokes the prospect of conflict, for oil has been and sustaining properties. Moving on from two- the source of so much of the crises of recent dimensional and sculptural works in recent years history. The suggestion that something we to vast installations and environments, Ogilvie habitually consume, utilise and regard with little or increasingly offers us experiences rather than no thought, that this substance we take so much images. Her work has turned to look at the uses for granted – particularly here in Scotland where or applications of water in architecture, in the we live literally surrounded by it – will become a creation of spaces – often conceived quite serious source of contention, even violence, is literally for reflection, both physical and mental. undoubtedly challenging. In her stunning and dramatic transformation of It is therefore a timely moment for the work of DCA’s galleries, Ogilvie invited us to explore and Elizabeth Ogilvie, an artist who has so often drawn reflect on water, the most fundamental of inspiration from various ‘bodies of water’, the title substances. She looked at patterns of change, of her major exhibition of new work at Dundee movement and transformation in subtle and Contemporary Arts in 2005. Living and working by delicate plays between light and darkness, in the sea for much of her life, Ogilvie has long both live and recorded ‘events’. In an ambitious 11 Acknowledgements and technically challenging installation, DCA’s something of the wonder of natural phenomena, Elizabeth Ogilvie would like to thank the large main gallery was darkened and converted environmental concerns and the complexity of following for their cooperation and support in into two large pools, surrounded and connected what can appear so simple. Dundee’s renowned the production of Bodies of Water: Katrina by simple, walk-able paths. One remained still river setting, with the Tay flowing beyond the Brown, Anne-Marie Watson, Robert Callender, and utterly mirror-like, while the other was gallery walls, the specific backdrop against GemLexSystems, Wendy Gunn, Thomas A. regularly animated by various mechanisms, which Ogilvie developed these works, served to Clark, Joji and Michi Hirota, Andy Rice, Rob effectively creating live drawings with light in echo the patterns of ripples and resonance that Page, ‘Brady Cole’ and Sean Crossan, Andy the space of the viewer’s encounter. Abstract ran throughout the exhibition. Neil, Alistair McCready for AML, Nathan’s patterns and striking monochrome effects were We are grateful to the artist for the Blacksmiths, Dirk Mross, Joachim Römer and created by water in its various states of considerable time and energy she devoted to Marion Hasse. And at Dundee Contemporary movement. the project, as well as to Kenneth Pithouse for Arts: Trevor Hall, Colin Lindsay, Anton Beaver, Ogilvie’s work involves elements of art, his engineering support and advice. Thanks are Clare Booth, Andrew Dodds, Steve Lawrie, architecture, science and music, the smaller also due to Wendy Gunn for her thoughtful text Derek Lodge, Jason Shearer and Andrew gallery being occupied by a three-screen video about the artist’s work, to Thomas A. Clark for Thompson. installation made in collaboration with Joji the poem written in response to his experience Hirota, a ‘Taiko’ drummer and internationally of visiting Ogilvie’s exhibition at DCA and to renowned composer and performer. This Hope Scott Trust, The Carnegie Trust, Edinburgh documented an interplay between sound and College of Art, for their support of this light, between Hirota’s performance and publication. Ogilvie’s parallel manipulation of a small pool of water. Together the installations evoked Katrina M. Brown Curator 12 on a stretch of moor Thomas A. Clark in a place of stones a delay of water hidden among reeds clumps of wild daffodils inclined towards it water seeps and drains out into blanket mire water drips and drops it stands and spreads over a bleak stretch of moor grasses pencilled in softly on flaking light occasional glint of light on a black stone dark mood of water no path leads down to the edge of the lochan a slight depression or digression in grass suggests you follow 14 ELIZABETH OGILVIE BODIES OF Dundee Contemporary Arts WATER as you lean over the fringed water margin a specular form rises to meet you through long strands of crowfoot parting the pondweed it glowers up at you floats away from you to break up again in thin twists of water the self that flows out in a look can turn back you must recognise yourself by a constant looking and checking dusk is to linger in a collapse of thought looking at looking until a thrum of light troubles reflection 16 all day you have gazed out over distances followed the traces deep into forests where you failed to appear for hours you were lost in the folds of the hills then at evening found your features mirrored in green folds of water are you what you see or are you what you know body of water or a dry consciousness that can turn away if you throw your voice against the woods and rocks your name will come back from the woods and the rocks sounding tired and strange 18 through all the long glens a heron by water does not glimpse a form half as transfixing as now swims through duckweed the cries of lapwings couldn’t lure you away or divert you from something in the water not of the water as you hesitate between self and image a space opens up between self and image empty of content a forlorn water cold in the spreading dusk a few daffodils light and ingenuous leaning over it 20 Rutenausschlag Gänge mit der Wünschelrute Wasserader Gebäudegrundriss Winkelstrahung 0m 7,30m 8,70m 10,0883 15m 21,8m Drawing with water Wendy Gunn Left: A diviner’s mapping of how According to the German water diviner Dirk tuned energies, not effectively demonstrable with water behaves underground1 Mross, when underground streams cross over, today’s instruments. The ‘measuring or reading if people work or live above that point for instrument’ which has been performing for example in an office building or block of flats; centuries is, of course, the human being. We it is those situated furthest away from the water originate from water and our life is determined by 1. The water diviner’s lines overlay an architectural ground plan, Gebäude- that suffer the greater negative effect on their water. Consequently, our ability to react sensitively grundriss [Grey plan], for a proposed health … to this element should not come as a surprise. private dwelling. Before delivering the final plans to Planning & Building Control, the He continues to tell his story: Instincts among the animal kingdom also, are water diviner is employed by clients to Of all the original elements, (archetypal, ancient unfailing when focused on water. Camels, for check waters behaviour on the chosen site. Gänge mit Wünschelrute, [Dark green elements), water is the most fluid one and is example, are able to sense and position water from horizontal lines], indicate a series of routes classified as the female principle. From a biological a distance of several kilometres. where the water diviner has traced streams with his water divining rods. point of view, water permeates all life on earth. In Stones on the riverbed, polished until smooth, Rutenausschlag [Acid green short vertical spiritual and mythological terms, water is inhabited clearly demonstrate the tremendous power of lines] are the small markers he places, like small different coloured flags on sticks, to by beings known as Undines. These have been shallow water. It is precisely this power in under- mark points indicating streaming water investigated using a divining rod [dowsing rod, ground watercourses that deeply affects many and therefore building up a gradual picture of what is underground. Wasserader [Aqua dowser] just in the same way as underground forms of life, including human beings. The lines] denote natural streams or water- watercourses are detected. This work is called emergence of pressures, friction and erosion courses, Winkelstrahung [Pink lines], the extent of emissions from underground ‘Muten’.2 Since the early Middle Ages people have underground at the centre of gravity and in the streams.

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