Robin Vaughan-Williams collaboration at Filmpoem Antwerp

Still from 'What's real is home'

It has been an exciting week for us all on the project, first with the news from LA about our first international screening for Ping Pong Paranoia and now with another debut for a new collaboration with Poetry. Alban Low it seems has been busier than we all assumed in the simulated mental health ward at Kingston University and St George's University London as part of his art residency.

We are delighted and surprised to learn that another film from the residency 'What's real is home' is going to screened at the Filmpoem Festival, held this year in the Felix Archief in Antwerp in partnership with Felix Poetry Festival and in association with The Poetry Society. It will be screened on the 14th June as part of the Open Programme between 3-3.45pm.

'Sandra'

This year Alban Low and psychotherapist Harvey Wells recorded the voices of the patients on the ward. They wanted to use these monologues as a creative springboard to explore a whole range of mental health themes. Alban already has both drawing/painting and film at his disposal but wanted to broaden the project's horizons even further. Earlier this year he gave the transcript of patient 'Sandra' to poet Robin Vaughan-Williams and waited to see what the young wordsmith would conjure up.

Robin Vaughan-Williams

Robin Vaughan-Williams and Alban Low met but a few months ago when they worked together on an exhibition of poetry and art to help celebrate World Poetry Day. Jawspring was held at the Village Hall Gallery in Wimbledon and proved a huge success with audiences of both genres. Vaughan-Williams wasn't daunted by the thorny issues discussed on the recording and with empathy he created a new poem from it painful themes. It wouldn't be a murder minutes production without a jazz inspired score and this time it was courtesy of Leo Appleyard and his quartet. They are just about to release their debut album, Pembroke Road, on the F-IRE label in September 2014.

'What's real is home' is the first collaboration between Art and Poetry on this project and one that we hope will continue. Please find out more about the Filmpoem Festival HERE and follow them on twitter. Download the full festival programme here if you would like to experience it first hand!

This year Filmpoem will posting all the available films live on their website from Monday 16th June on http://filmpoem.com/ 

Ping Pong Paranoia at MORPOS Los Angeles

Vortex Dome LA

We have just received the news that 'Ping Pong Paranoia' will be receiving its international premiere in Los Angeles, California later this month. It will be shown as part of MORPHOS Immersive Video Dome Art festival on the 27th June 2014. MORPHOS is a one night immersive video experience featuring the world premiere of new experimental immersive and interactive video art in the Vortex LA Dome.
Alban Low has been immersing himself once again in the world of the simulated mental health ward. Now in his second year as artist-in-residence on the ward at Kingston University and St Georges University London he has already produced 2 films with 2 still to come.


Ping Pong Paranoia film

This current crop of films use sound recordings taken from the simulated mental health ward itself as its inspiration. The first film features both the voice of role-player Lindsay Shepherd and a soundtrack by experimental improvisation trio Toy Rokit. The film, Ping Pong Paranoia, explores the ever increasing anxiety and feeling of claustrophobia felt by the paranoid patient 'Sandra' as she voices her concerns about being stuck on the ward.

The film was first screened at the 'Art of Medicine' series at St George's University in April 2014.

To read more about the event and buy tickets - follow the link
MORPHOS Immersive Video Dome Art • Los Angeles