chris bennie

Brisbane, Australia

artist

“The mood here in Brisbane, Australia is confusing. Many institutions (like the one I work for - Griffith University) have taken swift and clear measures to align with the general consensus to impose self-isolation. I have been delivering lectures and tutorials online since the beginning of this week.  

Out on the street however is another story. There are still many people out and about. Australia is not in lockdown (at this moment) and its hard to gauge what will happen here. Personally I am quite happy to stay inside and I am lucky enough to be able to continue to work, at least for a few more months until the University Trimester finishes.”

Chris Bennie combines his video artwork, Name That Tune, with his track, The Distance Sequence. The track is a slowly evolving slice of melodic techno with a melancholic quality. Name That Tune is a single-shot video of an intersection in the coastal suburb of Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast of Australia. The quotidian events of this intersection are marked by the slow movement of cars and pedestrians vying for their right of way. The scene is centrally framed by the apex of a church in the distance. Throughout the video, short written statements appear as subtitles invoking philosophical, benign or absurd inflections onto the scene. These are playful interpretations of  the letters of car number plates as they approach the camera. Between the mood and title of his track, The Distance Sequence, and the representation of people and traffic in the accompanying video, Name That Tune, is a good representation of the psychological conundrum we currently face. Not only are we all dealing with social distancing but contemplating what our future might be like poses a philosophical, benign and absurdist paradox that no one is clear about. 

chrisbennie.com

track on Beatport