2 Metre Conversations ** 3-31 Oct 2020 ** Phoenix Art Space / online
Artist Katy Beinart and filmmaker John Edwards were commissioned by Phoenix Art Space in collaboration with the University of Brighton’s Centre for Arts and Wellbeing and Brighton and Hove City Council to create a series of short films about people’s experiences of lockdown during the initial lockdown period. In a series of locations around Brighton, they asked local people to engage in 2m distanced conversations about how the lockdown had affected them, the changes they had made, and their thoughts on the future. These moving and powerful conversations have been edited down into 6 short films which show the huge diversity of experience of the challenges of this year, and include people from a wide range of backgrounds.
Exhibited online as part of Photo Fringe 2020. Watch the conversations here.
Katy Beinart: “Editing the conversations we had down to six short films was a tough job – there was so much fascinating material. The films are a snapshot of people’s concerns around the time of the lockdown earlier this year, concerns which are no less relevant now. Covering topics from food poverty to childcare, work, leisure and more, everyone we spoke to told us stories that were funny, sad, moving and thought-provoking. Our world has changed so much in this past year and the films are a window into the moment where people were first facing those massive changes.”
Duncan Bullen, Deputy Head in the School of Art for Research and Enterprise and Director of the Centre of Arts and Wellbeing, said: “Katy and her colleagues have produced such a timely and relevant set of films and the Centre is pleased to have been able support this artistic commission and to be partnering Phoenix Arts and Brighton and Hove City Council. We’re looking forward to the day when we can view the films at Phoenix and other venues around the city.”
#2mconversations
About the artists
Katy Beinart is an artist, writer and educator, whose work engages with the public realm and includes installation, public art, performance and socially engaged projects. She has exhibited internationally and created public realm projects for a range of private and public clients. Her work explores links between material culture, memory, migration, identity and place. She is a Senior Lecturer in Architecture at the University of Brighton.
John Edwards is a filmmaker and screenwriter based in Brighton.
Additional camera work by Lily Murray, additional interviews by Lynn Hanna.
EXHIBITION
- 3 October – 31 October
- Online
Sussex ArtBeat 