Experiencing Art in Unexpected Places with Tine Bech
Written by Reesa Amadeo Wolf
To meet local artist Tine Bech is to be instantly drawn into a completely different world of experiencing art first hand. Many people think of art as something to ‘view’. We go to an ‘Art’ space (gallery), pick up a leaflet about the current exhibition, or maybe we have a hi-tech listening device telling us about what we are looking at. We walk a circuit carefully devised by qualified curates, we purchase a postcard at the book shop to remind us of what we saw. We are quiet (Shhhh!), polite and apologise if our shoes squeak on clean floors.
Unlike more traditional gallery experiences, Tine Bech’s work is exciting, loud and very public. It begs to be touched and requires audience interaction to be complete. It connects us to our environment and with one another as we are encouraged to participate fully in her work and exhibitions One favourite example is Echidna, an interactive sound sculpture. Made of tangled, black wire hooked up to electronics which are cleverly hidden within the white plinth it sits on, touching Echidna disturbs the electromagnetic field around it, and a unique sound emerges. Bech is travelling to Los Angeles this September with a new version of Echidna to take part in the renowned Siggraph Conference connected with her PhD studies.
Bech displays her work in unconventional settings, and wherever possible, includes the public in the work itself. Beck believes that, “ Art is for everyone.” ,and seeks to create art for both art and ‘non-art’ audiences. One such work, called Tracing Light, is a permanent interactive light installation set in Surrey over a pedestrian bridge where ripples of colour are activated by the people passing the bridge. She will be embarking on two similar projects; one in Bristol at the Watershed (Dates tbc), and in Swansea, Bech is creating a temporary public artwork on show from 8th October 2010. The form of the project will develop through consultation and workshops with the community, exploring local history and memories of the area.
Bech’s upcoming installation, The Big Swim, invites us to jump into a pool of colour! Celebrating the upcoming 2012 Olympics, this project is “... a unique, live event, in which participants interact with their wider community and experience swimming in a cloud of light and colour, based on the five Olympic colours.” It aims to connect sport and art while promoting local interest in swimming prior to the upcoming Games in London. Dates and venues tbc.
Be sure to check out www.tinebech.com for up-to-date information on these and other exciting projects and exhibitions.