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Cod Requiem

Artist: Maclean, Will, Professor, MBE RSA RSW RGI · b. 1941 Artist: Rice, Andy

This film is the first time based media work made by Will Maclean RSA. It came about in several ways: firstly the merger between Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art (where the artist is a tutor) and the University of Dundee brought with it a research culture. The establishment of the Duncan of Jordanstone Visual Research Centre and Dundee Contemporary Arts allowed new synergies to develop. Andrew Nairne, then Director of DCA invited the artist to show in the gallery and a Creative Scotland award helped fund new ways to develop his practice. The artist began to work with artist and designer Andy Rice, whose skills and understanding of the potential of time based media led to two works being created for the Driftworks exhibition at DCA (24 Nov 2001 – 3 Feb 2002): Cod Requiem and Crux.

RUNNING NOTES:
00.00-00.24 Black screen. Sounds of fishermen shouting/calling
00.25-01.29 A single cod lure moves back and forth, fading in and out of view
01.30-02.31 A circular shoal of cod lures fades in. The camera gradually zooms in and the lures spread out. A single metallic lure forms in the centre with the other lures circling it. Shoal of lures gets smaller and moves off screen to right.
02.32-02 Black screen
02.50-04.42 Groups of different lures dance around screen. Interspersed by Translucent lures that reveal their insides.
04.43-05.39 Black screen with the sounds of fisherman again. A distinct lure approaches and then can be seen re-entering from the right. It swims away and other lures dance and twist.
05.40-07.12 A sea bed with dappled light comes into view and a lure approaches. Another crosses from left to right and right to left. The environment is now punctuated by a journey through this sea bed of dappled light.
07.13-07.54 The distinct red nosed lure enters screen from the bottom. Another lure is followed.
07.56-09.45 The camera pans up and through what appears to be a sunken ship, illuminated by the same dappled light. Chains appear and the hull is visible. A lure negotiates the wreckage and settles into a final resting place, on the sea bed or on the wreck. The camera fades to black.