John Hurrell – 1 September, 2016

Videos and drawings provide the substance of this exhibition by Berlin-based Japanese artist Yukihiro Taguchi, though the videos are the main attraction. The ninety odd drawings are really digital print outs. They are presented in a line on three walls and are (I think) too small, without surface sensitivity or tactile delicacy, and often appropriating other artists. Just not that rivetting. The five stop-motion vids though - despite being technically related to the execrable Wallace & Gromit of clay-animation fame - are infectiously fun.

They verge on cuteness - but only verge. Fortunately.

The versions of time lapse photography that Taguchi uses to construct his films usually involve:

1.) The exuberant movement of a single object up or down or across a space. 2.) Groups of objects moving (perhaps swivelling) as a single coherent unit. 3.) The cumulative effect of added on objects (or modules) to make an accelerating 3D structure (could be a polystyrene person, animal or boat) or horizontal line. 4.) A version of No. 3 using added-on dirt or splashed on water to make a drawing, often on a concrete path or wall. 5.) Using frottage with the moving items of thin fabric or paper so that parts of the underlying textured field is incorporated. 6.) Occasionally moving film footage is spliced into the stop-motion process.

These energetic and amusing films usually have catchy percussive soundtracks that throb with the sequencing of the (briefly) still images. They tend to be made outside in wide spaces, in a globally wide range of cities, countries and continents. Taguchi obviously gets around.

The unified rhythm of the music and staccatoed changing narrative are what makes these droll videos tick. They are a cohesive unit. Although you can’t help but imagine the labour-intensive film-making process, with multiple objects arduously shuffled around (via an army of assistants) to construct every individual frame, the hyper flickering movement of the jitterbugging constructions holds your interest.

They’re compellingly hypnotic, so drop in and bring your kids.

John Hurrell

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