Elisa Julia Gilmour, Gemma Warren Far Between

Simultaneously form and space, water is a tangible element that—through light, time, and motion—is subject to temporal and spatial transformation. The human body can displace water but is also vulnerable to its force. This slow and meditative installation creates a space in which both co-exist, one continually disrupting the other, each equally malleable and fragile in its own way.

Visually enveloping, the installation removes the viewer's awareness of the outside world by transforming the white cube into a swimming tank. Five projections play simultaneously as a figure moves through the water, never appearing in more than one location at the same time. The submerged form—an extension of the viewer—symbolizes the unpredictability of human experience. The artists make compelling use of the grainy and unrefined aesthetic of 16mm film to create a dark, cyclical, and immersive viewing experience.

This exhibition is the result of an award program presented in partnership with Ryerson University, Alliance Française and CONTACT. Far Between was selected by a jury from proposals by third and fourth year Ryerson University Image Art students. Gilmour and Warren were subsequently mentored by CONTACT’s Artistic Project Manager, Persilia Caton.