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In this interview with Plymouth Arts Centre
Tim Knowles explains his thinking behind the
public artworks:
It is a fascinating idea to show a programme of artists’ films at the Lido, at an evening event when you can swim. How did you come up with it?
Initially it was part of a discussion with Plymouth City Council where we were brainstorming ideas for places to site public art in Plymouth. I came up with the idea of presenting films in the water, originally thinking that they might be screened on a boat and people could swim and be in the water or watch the films from the shore. The piece would be sited within the natural amphitheatre of the sea, the Hoe and the foreshore. The boat idea wasn’t really suitable on this occasion, but it led to the idea of screening the films at the Lido.
Tinside Lido is a beautiful structure, with an amazing history. I can see why it would be an inspiring place to show artwork.
The whole foreshore is an incredible site. The rocky steps and bathing structures are fascinating. Plymouth is so lucky to have it. The seafront is an great asset to the city and I wanted to highlight it. In its heyday Plymouth’s foreshore was the scene of vast gatherings for swimming regattas, diving contests and other maritime events. The shores, decks, walkways and steps would be lined with people watching the events. Late Night Lido Endevour is a project which aims to bring some of that former life back to Plymouth’s Foreshore and Tinside areas.
Is the idea of the water important to you – do you like to swim?
I do like to swim a lot, I’ve done a few Triathlons and I expect I’ll have a swim on the night of the screenings. We may have an intermission so that people will have time for a swim between the films, as you can’t see the screen from the water.
You have curated the programme of artists’ short films that will be shown at the Lido on the three nights, is there a particular theme to your choices?
There is a theme of ‘endeavour’, where artists have set themselves a task and are accomplishing it by themselves. The focus is on endeavour rather than endurance, although at times the distinction may seem thin. This theme is important to my practice and there are other artists who have this in common. It is giving a context to the exhibition at Plymouth Arts Centre.
Of the films that you have selected to show at the Lido do you have any particular favourites?
I like them all, but some of the artists such as Roman Signer and Chris Burden are particularly significant and seminal figures for me, others are contemporaries of mine. Some of the pieces are quite old, grainy, super 8 footage and weren’t so much made as films in their own right, some are documentation pieces of artists’ performances.
Do you have any top tips for the audience on the night?
The film program is made up off about an hour and a half of short films - quite a mixture and most under 10 minutes, all focused on the theme of Endeavour hopefully inspiring, thought provoking and witty but not an endeavour to watch. I wanted to do a project out of the gallery space open to all - we're not charging for the films, there is just the standard Lido entrance fee to cover their costs. The site of the Lido is actually very exposed so we are recommending that people bring warm clothes, blankets and a nice picnic to enjoy, but no glass - Lido rules, it should be a great event.
Tell us more about the Wind Barb public art pieces on the Hoe?
The work came about through the Windwalks pieces that I made in London and in the countryside, including Dartmoor. At the time I was investigating sails & wind structures as well as wider research around the wind and this project grew out of that research.
Wind Barbs is a series of twelve white flags installed on the poles on Plymouth Hoe. Each flag carries simple black meteorological symbols, called barbs, which are used to indicate wind speeds. The flags appear similar, but are constructed of different fabrics, of different weight so that they only begin to fly at the wind speed indicated on the barb. This artwork is a celebration of the wind, acting as a cross between an art installation and meteorological device communicating wind speed and direction.
< Back to Tim Knowles page
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