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<\/a>It was telling that this discussion on the upcoming referendum was to focus on \u2018Identity\u2019. She usually acts every character herself, often in front of the green screen, before digitally merging the video clips; a process that \u00a0itself challenges the contemporary notion of identity in media. This work however was in fact filmed in location, then overlaid with many soundbites from those portrayed to\u00a0compose what serves as a most entertaining and engaging satire of all involved. The film’s focus on these identities serves to highlight not just how absurd they really are, but also the absurdity of basing any political decision on their identities.<\/p>\n
This inference was echoed in Fred Fletch\u2019s Skinny article this March when he eloquently stated “…this vote was never about personalities. It’s bigger than you both.” Whilst in the short term\u00a0we may be entertained by the lead characters in this \u2018pantomime\u2019, we know that when the curtain falls and the votes are counted, the\u00a0resulting\u00a0<\/span>impact of this referendum will last far longer. Ultimately it is not their, but our identity that will be influenced by the outcome.<\/span><\/p>\n After the video a fascinating discussion began with Iain Macwhirter underscoring that this discussion is beyond identity, and is ultimately about politics. This was recouped in the insight provided by Scott Hames who proposed the idea of \u2018Cultural Scottishness\u2019, to paraphrase; the potential of \u2018independence\u2019 to be realised culturally, out with political independence. This dialogue fascinatingly prompted a consideration of the relation between culture and politics; though in the context of this discussion it felt impossible to deny their ties. Through this, Scott outlined the possibility of the \u2018imaginary dimension of nationhood\u2019 to become inhibiting, an appeal in itself for further consideration.<\/p>\n This is exactly what both this video and more so Mcleans similar work \u2018A Whole New World\u2019 (recently screened) achieve so competently, whilst acknowledging the potential of the medium of film today. I misread the evenings programme notes as if it referred to the artist as a ‘future historian\u2019, but I believe that term that would in fact be appropriate. By employing film not prescriptively but artistically to facilitate consideration, contemplation and conversations such as this talk, is invaluable in helping to shape our future identity. It is therefore\u00a0reassuring to see artists fulfilling this responsibility, creating the space for us to consider important issues in our society.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Recounting a symposium at the Centre for Contemporary Art hosted by local Glasgow based artist Rachel Maclean titled ‘Tae Think Again: Re-thinking Identity in Contemporary Scotland’. As the evening began Rachel got quickly into showing a video piece of hers; \u2018The Lion and the Unicorn\u2019, which playfully re-imagines Jeremy Paxman and Alex Salmond as the…<\/p>\n