Then, in old age, he showed himself with a harrowing dignity. Throughout his life, the 17th-century Dutch artist painted himself, scrutinising his face from every angle, posing as a knight in armour or the Prodigal Son. His body in the dressing gown is large, his beard noble.Īs I watch Solo Scenes, on show at the Fruitmarket gallery as part of this year's Edinburgh art festival, I start to feel as if I'm looking at a Rembrandt self-portrait reimagined as a video diary. Again and again, Roth's face peers in concentration at his work. Cameras catch him pottering about, even sitting on the toilet. He looks busy, but it is hard to tell if he is creating new works or simply cataloguing old ones. On screen after screen, 128 in all, the sick artist, born in 1930, draws, makes notes, and just sits at his desk thinking. At this time of all times, he chose to put himself under surveillance by setting up cameras throughout his house and studios in Germany, Switzerland and Iceland, filming himself going about his daily activities. Soon he will be dead.ĭieter Roth made Solo Scenes in 1998, the final year of his life, thanks to an illness caused by alcoholism. He turns the camera so that it catches him walking outdoors where, in pallid sunlight, he pours nutrient-enriched water into a watering can. Elsewhere, on another screen, we see the German-born artist watering his plants. A lamp casts a warm glow as he studies a sheet of paper in front of him. Dieter Roth sits at his desk, wearing a silk dressing gown and a soft cap.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |