South London Gallery Extra Curricular Trip for Year 11 Art pupils:

On Wednesday 26 November, a group of Year 11s visited the South London Gallery in Camberwell. We were there to see an installation by Rivane Neuenschwander, a Brazilian artist. The exhibition consisted of a room split into half by a second level. On this level, there was an open space with approximately 700 holes drilled into the wall. The debris from the drilling was placed in a mountain shape on the floor, there was also a silver basin embedded in the floorboards where an intentional leak, originating from a window dripped into. Underneath the bowl, downstairs was a microphone catching the sound and dispersing it around the room below.

In contrast to the bright upstairs the ground floor of the installation was dark and claustrophobic creating an unnatural atmosphere. Footage of a bubble floating across a landscape was projected onto a wall, and opposite this was a hole punched film depicting the 1001 Arabian moons. We found the concept of continuous cycles behind the installation appealing.

The repetition of the drilled circles appeared like an optical illusion and the rhythm was palpable. The dripping noise from downstairs was audible upstairs which gave the room atmosphere, adding to the theme of landscape which was clever and innovative. We were very lucky to have had the opportunity to visit the gallery. 

Lucy Benson and Louisa Prodgers, Year 11