Page 67 - Studio International - November December 1975

'MFV "M AUREEN" FISHING

OUT OF EYEMOUTH'

By Ron Haselden

The First Stage of a 6 Screen Film Structure

MFV "Maureen" Installation shots at the New 57 Gallery,
Edinburgh
he initial film material or this structure was shot in of 960 photographs, there is a vast amount of material to
August 1975 on a motor fishing vessel while she was deal with.
'seine' netting out of Eyemouth. The presence of still photography as a component of film
The boat was a platform for myself and the camera. 'action' will be suggested by building a day-by-day
A series of film loops were shot, in order to be projected construction of still frame blowups on the walls. These
from a bank of 616mm projectors at the New 57 Gallery, will indicate the history of the structures that have already
Edinburgh. been projected.
The gallery becomes my work space for a week, and with The structure attempts to describe 2 states, a constant and
a basic set-up of equipment, I continue to reshoot its extensions.
film, process it, print and project it, starting with the In the construction that occurs as a scan across all the
original material from the boat. The whole of this activity screens, the form of the boat is continually being defined
is contained within the gallery. and interrupted. The boat sometimes occurs as a
This is the start of the project, and an end is not necessaril composite whole, but this is disrupted by screen images
envisaged. As in some of my former work, this structure is briefly and independently tracking away and then
expected to continue and develop at other venues. Every returning. During the period of tracking off, other aspects
transition or new generation of the structure will embody that appear across the field of vision are restated. The
a formed idea. One idea will precipitate the next. The main composite form of the boat always predominates,
daily performances of the work will be open for visitors to and the independent excursions out of it are brief. The
come and go freely, as well as offering them the actions of the rolling horizon and the fishermen operate
opportunity to enter into discussions about the work. independently behind the composite form of the boat.
The original material shot on the boat has been kept very Throughout refilming programmes, the boat structure
brief. Each loop will recycle itself during projection in remains a constantly recurring image. It is in the tracking
about 40 seconds, but as there are 6 loops running off or breakaway periods that ideas will be
asyncronously, and each 40 seconds of film is composed extended.