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THE LAYING ON OF HANDS

The Laying on of Hands is a new Artwork using digital media in an installation form.

It is first a multi community work which then develops into a multi-national project which will be shot over a period of time first in various communities around the UK then in various countries.

THE INSTALLATION

Each of the 7 sections of The Laying on of Hands requires 1 table and about 50 people. A camera is suspended above looking directly down on to the table. People surround the table and slowly, one by one they place their hands on to the table taking care to get only their hands, wrists and arms in to shot and not their heads or shoulders. Eventually there are fifty pairs of hands of differing skin tones from black to white on the table. When the last pair of hands comes upon the table, they wait for a moment and then slowly leave, followed by all the other hands until eventually only one pair of lands is left. Whilst they're doing the 'performance' everyone will sing a low note, starting quiet, building and receding to silence when the last hands come off - and I'll record a clapping track for the middle (a sound like white noise) also building and receding... click for video example

EXHIBITION

When exhibited, the small local installation consists of a table and 12 chairs for people to sit around the table - this is direct and intimate exhibition which will give the audience the chance to join in. A projector is suspended above the table looking in to a mirror which reflects the image directly down on a white table cloth (the screen). The first pair of virtual hands enters the table space until eventually there are fifty pairs, then slowly they leave, leaving only one pair which rests a moment before fading away - then the installation loop begins again. The seven local exhibitions come together in the form of a large scale national exhibition and requires 7 tanks of the same size as the original table, each filled with a white commodity, like milk, salt, soya, rice etc. .

The international version of the installation also requires seven production and exhibition periods which then comes together at various international locations.

What is being healed in this larger scale version of the work is the neurosis that provokes a commidification of resources in the world. We no longer need to treat the world in this way so we must heal the original impetus in works like this and the activities they provoke with the public in their making.

AND ITS DOCUMENTATION

A major part of the artwork is the making, so that in itself should be an art event, the gathering together of fifty people with one concern, the realization of this piece. It is important to me that there are varied and mixed races - the colour of skin should be various and manifold. Of the fifty, some brave people, the ones who place their hands on the table first will have to wait for a long time whilst the rest of the process happens above them - but that is how we will change things, for the stronger to support the smaller.

A DV crew will shoot the making of this installation.

RESOURCES FOR SMALL EXHIBITON:

Shoot: An HDV camera is required, a table and white table cloth, a black space (studio) to shoot in and some lights and a technician to help rig the camera above.

Preparation: The next day a final cut editing suite would be needed to prepare the footage for display.

Then Exhibition: The following day a projector and a computer to play back, a mirror and hanging above a table, with a white table cloth and a technician.

E-Mail: flaxton@btinternet.com e-mail me Telephone +44 (0)1749 890 610 Fax +44 (0)1749 890 018 Mobile +44 (0)7976 370 984

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