Bore Song is a body of work made along the River Severn. The Severn Bore is a tidal wave that surges up the River Severn. At the time of the spring and autumn equinoxes the bore is at its highest as it roars along the river. With film I attempt to describe distance, time and emotion in physical terms: the filmstrip as a measurement of the time it takes for the bore tide to pass, the length of a breath and the weight of grief. At the edge of the river, a woman sings a single note at the point of the bore tide passing, her voice following the surge of water. In the gesture she performs, she marks my sister’s last breath and my own attempt to throw my grief into the river. The tide carrying breath/voice to the river’s source before it is pulled back out to sea. The film-sculptures are modular and when heard together, Bore Song and Song of Grief form a minor sixth interval. Bore Song is a single take on a clockwork Bolex camera.
Louisa Fairclough is represented by Danielle Arnaud Contemporary Art London. She lives and works in Bristol. Bore Song has been acquired by the Contemporary Art Society for Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum.
Images (this page and following) © Louisa Fairclough (Camden Arts Centre – London)