Clinton Watkins, stills from Cont Ship #1–#3 2008, DVD. Courtesy of Two Rooms Gallery.

Clinton Watkins

6 April - 3 May 2009 in the Square² Gallery

Cont Ship #1–#3 2008
DVD 4:3 video loop & sound
Duration: 27:54, 29:28 and 23:04 mins, each looped
Courtesy of Two Rooms Gallery

Cont Ship #1–#3 is part of an ongoing series based on ships which frequent Auckland’s Waitemata harbour. Framed in a single static shot, the ship’s immense bulk inaudibly travels through the viewing field, its bold graphic colour and the linear forms which mark the hull filling the picture space. The footage of each ship is seamlessly looped with an accompanying soundtrack of ten compositions consisting of minimal tones and textures that advance and recede.

The artist explores the relationship between sound and the viewing experience, often constructing immersive experiences through the use of video and sound. Dane Mitchell has written of Cont Ship #2: ‘Rather than fetishise the technical capacities of the moving image and explain away a love for the medium, the shot is direct, neat, ship-shape…Watkins achieves a kind of cinematic hypnosis, but really it’s more like a daydream; these images don’t quite duplicate reality. The coming and going of the soundtrack disrupts the presence of the ship and drives it forward – delay, reverb and repetition propel it through the water now.’[1]

Clinton Watkins (b.1976) holds a Masters of Fine Art (First Class Honors) from Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland, where he is currently working towards a Doctoral Degree in Fine Arts. He is a practicing sound artist in the area of minimal electronic music and sound scores/design for film, live sound performance and installations, with numerous releases of recorded material on a variety of local and international record labels. His video based projects are completed by their soundtracks. Recent installations include Cont Ship #3 & Horizon line #1, video/sound solo exhibition, Two Rooms Gallery, Auckland; Untitled (Sparkler), ‘Crosstalk’ group show, Two Rooms, Auckland; Cont Ship #2, video/sound installation, ‘Martini Shot: New Artist Show 2007’, ARTSPACE, Auckland, 2007; Cont Ship #1, video/sound installation,’ 5 4 3 2 1: Auckland Artist Projects’, Auckland Art Gallery, 2006; Things I found in my friends father’s basement, sound installation & recording, rm103 Gallery, Auckland, 2005.

[1] ‘Martini Shot: new artist show 2007’ exhibition catalogue, ARTSPACE, 2007.