Tales of the City: Fiona Tan Disorient
Dates: 20 July 2012 – 24 February 2013
Venue: Gallery 1

Curated by Ben Harman from the Glasgow Museum’s collection to highlight GoMA’s Art Fund International collection, this exhibition marked the culmination of the Tales of the City series. Disorient by Amsterdam-based artist Fiona Tan. A two-screen video installation that dissects myths and ideas of identity within historical colonialism, the film was originally created for an exhibition in Venice and this marks the first time it has been shown in the UK.

Situated in the grand environment of Gallery one this installation was a large scale double screen HD installation where the two screens were suspended from the ornate ceiling opposite each other. One projection shows the filmed set with an ambient and suggestive soundtrack. The other projection shows a montage of recent news/current affairs footage with the voice-over of excerpts from Marc Polo’s Travels. The first screen is larger with a clearly audible soundtrack while the soundtrack to the second screen can only be heard by standing underneath hanging speakers. Disorient explores perceptions of ‘the oriental’ in relation to issues such as colonialism, identity, human history, myth and war. Presented by the Art Fund through Art Fund International in partnership with The Common Guild.

Artist: Fiona Tan

Links
Art Fund -What to see
Art Fund – Fiona Tan Disorient
The List
Daily Serving
Cassone Art – Art Fund celebrates success

Image: Disorient by Fiona Tan, 2009
© courtesy the artist & Frith Street Gallery, London/ photo: Per Kristiansen