PROJECTS

REGENTS PARK

Westminster/Camden

ANNIKA ERIKSSON

The Smallest Cinema in the World - For the Wealthy and the Good

The following films made by Eriksson were shown in Regents Park:

'In the Night' (12 mins)

'The Revolutionary' (10 mins)

'The Wealthy and the Good' (4 mins)

Annika Eriksson (b. 1956) Swedish, lives and works in Berlin. Eriksson's work spans film, photography, performance and site specific installation. She has been invited to create projects in major institutions world wide, ranging from Goteborgs Kontshall, Sweden 2008; Volkswagen Wolsberg 2006; Venice Biennale 2005; Frieze Art Fair 2004; Palais de Tokyo 2004 and Sao Paulo Biennale 2002.

Annika Eriksson is one of Sweden's most widely exhibited artists internationally. She is interested in social structures and human behaviour and often realises her work through various kinds of collaboration. Her work manifests a variety of forms from films and performance to sculptures and installations, but a frequent starting point is the ever varying functions of the city, its public spaces and inhabitants. Eriksson's focus on everyday settings and situations often reveal the extraordinary and an almost absurd sense of comedy.

Annika Eriksson's proposal for “The Smallest Cinema in the World – For the Wealthy and the Good” has developed from research she conducted in Regents Park. As a visitor to London, she was particularly intrigued by the concept of a “Royal Park” designed by crown architect, John Nash, and originally destined to be an estate for the rich.

“The plan by the crown architect John Nash was to develop a private, picturesque residential setting for the wealthy and the good. The plan was modified considerably as building progressed and never fully realized. Pressures of the expanding city raised concern in Parliament about the need to use such open spaces for recreational purposes.” (Taken from Regent's park information board)

“I find it interesting that a “gated community” was planned for an area that is now open to everybody and to all sorts of free activities. You can also if you like spend the entire day in the park without consuming. As the city is developing into a “Landscape of Power” [1] with less and less free spaces, the public parks are very important as “Free Zones” [2]. ( Annika Eriksson )

This was the starting point for Eriksson's proposal for a series of films made during the summerthat portray the lesser known activities and reveal hidden secrets about the park during the summer. “For the Wealthy and the Good” is a homage to public spaces that are still free for everyone. The films are poetic; “larger than life” but with their point of departure in reality.

The films were shown in “The Smallest Cinema in the World” a tiny mobile cinema. To create the cinema, Eriksson worked with Hopkins Architects and Expedition Engineers to design and produce a unique, six seat cinema on wheels that can be towed around the park. The cinema was fabricated by ISG and Wood Newton. The cinema projector was supplied by Panasonic.

Further information about Annika Eriksson http://www.frieze.com/issue/article/public_works

References – [1] & [2]

quote by Gosta Arvastson professor in Ethnology at the University of Uppsala. He made research about the development of the changes in the London city landscape in 2002.

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