Groundswell
Ally Wallace
4 December 1999 - 29 January 2000

A large scale installation. Creating a contemplative environment, a huge sheet of very thin, silvery polythene covered the gallery floor. Powered by hidden fans, the sheet became like a wave moving slowly back and forth, rising and falling. Regulated by a timing device, this sculptural form gently filled the gallery, sometimes pushing lightly against the walls and then withdrawing again. Soft sounds were generated by this physical movement alluding to sensual experiences like the gentle sound of the sea or trees blowing in the wind. Viewers felt themselves physically slowing down, by quite simply just watching and listening.

Two accompanying lightboxes showed photographs of the artists’ previous work. In Plumpton, Sussex, the artists positioned floodlights to point upwards and illuminate trees. As daylight faded the trees gradually became more noticeable. The lightbox image was taken at 9pm in mid-July, as it was getting dark. The tree had been turned into a great ball of light in the middle of secluded, dark woodland.

The other lightbox, Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, shows dots, which are actually pieces of plywood mounted on sticks and painted with fluorescent paint. The paint reacts to the sun’s UV rays and becomes dazzling, making the dots look like they’re floating. The dots looked alien in this natural environment as though they had just appeared from nowhere.

Installation View

Installation View