This exposition of work by Fiona Tan was described as:
The work of Fiona Tan, with its characteristic visual richness and singular temporalities, examines complex issues such as the relationship between personal and collective history, the presence of the past in the present, the intertwinement of memory and forgetfulness, and the porous nature of identity. As epitomized by Vox Populi, a series of works each consisting of several hundreds of photographs borrowed from the family albums of inhabitants of a given city or country, these concerns revolve essentially around the question of the gaze.
Descending into the basement of MUDAM, the first thing that become apparent is that the curators felt it necessary to barely light the space. An unusual choice as limited daylight permeates into the subterranean basement, and from previous expositions in this space it is possible to illuminate it better.
Across three wall are Tan’s Vox Populi. Perhaps of greater interest were the way the small images in each were arranged in the wall.
Being in the basement of the MUDAM, where there is no natural light, the space is ideal for video work, and Tan’s such works are well-presented. Of all the pieces the one that caught my eye was Provenance, a digital installation of six displays showing various monochromatic and silent video clips.
