From The Postmodern To The Pastoral: Two Recent Exhibitions in Hull (2/4) By Philip Wincolmlee-Barnes PortEst Exhibition Photographs by Andrew Quinn 'How to trap this transient thing?'

(1/4), (2/4), (3/4), (4/4).

Her series, Contemporary Icons, are illuminated works in gilt edged frames that echo medieval and Orthodox icon images, but which are duly modernised to depict contemporary wants and desires. Thus Madonna-like models, with some digital jiggery pokery, devotedly pose with flame-throwing dildos, clutch fast food cartons whilst in chains, wield semiautomatic shotguns, lovingly caress jewellery, and brandish other objects associated with a shallow, consumerist culture.

A rather extraneous 'white noise' soundtrack accompanied these, which was more of a distraction than an enhancement. Perhaps that was the point: that we are daily bombarded by capitalism's insidious encroachment into our personal space, via ever more omnipresent technologies. For example, why on earth have we got an inescapably massive telly in the otherwise splendid Queen Victoria Square?

I stroll, flaneur-like, around town precisely to deter myself from vegetating in front of the box back at home... Peil's work was well presented and hinted at the mesmerising, devotional intentions of the icon tradition - albeit given a cynical, modern twist. Already being a partial hermit myself, this didn't make me feel particularly different about mainstream consumerism - 'if you can't stand Primark, go and live in Tibet' - but as a kind of 'propaganda' or 'message' art it colourfully avoided dour, hectoring moralising. 'TV Eye.' Minna Hint's Hull Faces was an installation of three video projections, each showing a changing mosaic of residents of Hull (and some visitors); I spotted several local artists, vagrants, pensioners, city centre students and shop workers in the multitude tapestries of head and shoulder shots. Most seem to be talking to the cameraperson, interview style, although the poor sound quality rendered this rather meaningless. Many of her subjects seemed amused, and others a little shy and embarrassed, to find themselves being incorporated into a video art project.

The effect was rather like staring into the window of a television shop on the way home from a drinking session. I'll admit that I didn't really understand the exercise - how did an arbitrary set of portrait shots represent 'Hull faces'? (And, in these nomadic and multicultural times, is there such a thing?) Caustically, admittedly, I was led to note 'too much technology, too little time'.

As with a lot of video and technology-driven installation art, it was well put together, but it seemed to lack a specific tactic or agenda. This was a shame, as much more could have been explored and achieved with this mosaic employment of multi-screen images and 'talking heads'.

Overall, however, the PortEst exhibition was a diverse and aesthetically lively project, and one that demonstrated that a traditional subject - the role and position of portraiture in art - has yet to be exhausted, and continues to be explored in illuminating new ways. 'Above all, the sky.'

Continued .... Next Page (3/4)

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