Through the Window
LewesLight Festival 2017
On another evening of rail disruption, Art met Lewes-based artist Peter Messer at Brighton station and ended up sharing a taxi back to Lewes. Peter works mainly in egg tempera on a traditional gesso ground and has exhibited in solo and group shows in the UK, US, Germany and France. While chatting we discovered we had both been asked to get involved in LewesLight, an annual festival with a mix of installations inspired by the town, its architecture, history and people. Serendipitous meetings like this happen for a reason, so we both agreed it could be fun to collaborate on something.
Inspired by Peter Messer’s painting Wonderland, the projection installation in two windows of the 18th Century Lewes House, takes the artist’s work out of the gallery, to display it in an entirely different and wholly appropriate setting. With haunting echoes of the past, together with layers of history and personal experience, Lewes features predominantly in Peter’s work. His paintings have a dreamlike and sometimes surreal quality that we brought further to life with sensitive sequencing, sound production, portrait photography, animation and 3D modelling. Looking in and out of the windows to Lewes, as well as into the mind and memory of the artist we see that lives and experiences do impress themselves on their surroundings.
The video can be seen here... https://vimeo.com/244362425
"I couldn't be more pleased with what the team has done – a series of subtle disolves and discreet, witty animation. I shouldn't say it but the effect is bloody magical!", said Peter after the event.
Once again we worked closely with Hunter Gatherer tribe member Jack Beccegato, a motion graphic animator and 3D artist who works on large-scale projection mapping, live event and animation projects internationally.
For more information on Peter Messer: www.petermesser.com
Additional event photography: James McCauley | mccauleyphotos.photoshelter.com
