Leeds Arts Gallery
Mark Wallinger – “Threshold to a Kingdom”
British artist Mark Wallinger is best known for the Ecce Homo (1999) sculpture in Trafalgar Square. He is a multi-media artist who experiments with mostly painting and sculpture. His work, a lot of the time looks at social and cultural issues. He studied at Chelsea School of Art, then later Goldsmiths College in London where he became involved in the Young Artist Movement. He made name for himself in 1992 of his painting Race, Class and Sex which was a series on inspired by the horse racing and particular in honour of by George Stubbs work.
One piece in particular, was exhibited at Leeds Arts Gallery was the ‘Threshold to a Kingdom’ (2000) which was a slow motion film of the international arrivals gate at London City Airport. He captures small moments of passengers for example being greeted by family/friends. The video last for about 10 minutes and is accompanied by ‘Miserere’ by Gregorio Allegri. The word ‘Miserere’ at first look I thought it to mean misery as ironically the song does sound slightly gloomy with minor tones used through the piece. When I looked it up I found out it was “a psalm in which mercy is sought". A psalm is a sacred song or poem usually sung in church. The use of the song links to the title of this work as though this is a sacred action arriving at the gates to a ‘kingdom’ - in this case the London Kingdom. I think the accompanying song adds emotion to the piece, the high notes almost sound like cries – mirroring joyous tears of passengers greeting loved ones at the airport. Slowing the film down matches the pace of the song – so the subjects are in sync with the music. The security guard at the gates portrays imagery of a guardian angel – similarly to how the angels guard the gates of heaven. Wallinger uses the imagery of the gates of heaven to alter the perspective of an airport. The arrivals gate in reality would be a rush of people which in this case it’s not; Wallinger purposefully slows it down so we are more observant of what is happening. It looks into the idea of what is real and what is not – in most people eyes an airport is not peaceful it is mayhem but here it appears to be a sacred opening to a ‘Kingdom’.
The slow paced atmosphere and the song left me feeling extremely relaxed and more observant, this is what I think Wallinger would’ve wanted. It was also the first room as you came into the gallery which is well planned as it allows visitors to become open minded and slow paced so they take everything else in as they walk round. They will not rush around the gallery. It’s psychologically proven that different music and visuals change the way we react to our surroundings.
