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Last year, Pinewood Studios held
their first ever artist’s residency as one of Art Works for
Business’s pilot partnerships. Local artist Lynda Cornwell spent
time documenting a day in the life of Pinewood Studios through film
and photographs. Originally Lynda intended to focus on the area of
Pinewood known as Theatre 7 (this is a small theatre where
producers and filmmakers view their rushes, occasional charity
events take place and where films are seen by a cinema club on a
regular basis). She found the project soon expanded to the whole
site.
On Pinewood’s lot there is
a large shallow tank which, filled with water, is used for filming
scenes at sea. Behind the water there is a blue screen which
dominates the landscape. Lynda was fascinated by the blue screen
and found the colour blue ran as a theme throughout the project,
picked up in reflections and structural details, especially strong
in her photographic work. Lynda was also given a can of exposed
film to use as part of the project. She used the film, part of a
movie about robots called ‘Virtual Sexuality’, to create artworks
which are now being exhibited in Theatre Seven along with her
photographs. Stringing the film from wooden frames, Lynda gives it
a new identity and exposes it to an audience’s view in an entirely
different way from its originally intended use. Lynda is also in
the process of creating a one-off artist’s book of the project
containing sketches and photographs which document her
residency.
Subsequently Pinewood has
asked Lynda back to extend the project. She hopes to expand on her
original work with a series of large moveable wall hangings based
on exposed film as before, but exploring questions of movement and
light. Pinewood has also set her the exciting challenge of creating
an artwork to be projected onto the vast exterior wall of the James
Bond stage.
The following interview was conducted by Laura Boswell between
Lynda Cornwell and Ann Runeckles, Pinewood’s
administrator:
LB: Lynda, how did you feel initially about working with
Pinewood?
LC: It was exciting
to come in and make a new working partnership that worked, but it
was also a challenge. I had to wait for the right ideas to
come.’
LB: Ann, how was the brief for the project
organised?
AR: There was no
initial brief, but the work was always going to end up in Theatre
7. It’s an important area in Pinewood and Lynda’s work will be seen
by some leading directors as well as film makers, actors and the
general public. We had never worked with an artist before, but we
thought it was a great idea and lovely to have a resident
artist.
LB: Lynda, what interested you most about the
project?
LC: It was the
contrast between the gloss and glamour that Pinewood creates and
the hard industrial outside spaces. That’s something that I’m
looking to explore when I continue the
project
LB: Ann, what was the reaction to Lynda’s work?
AR: It was mostly
interested and positive, though there were some who found it harder
to understand. The men on site installing Lynda’s exhibition were
very enthusiastic and encouraging and generally everyone is very
pleased. We are all happy with her work and excited about working
with Lynda on this year’s project.
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