The PM Gallery, the extension to architect Sir John Soane's home, Pitzhanger Manor in Ealing, west London. will present Neeta Madahar's new work in an exhibition entitled, Solstice, comprising two high-definition video projections of the 24 hours of the longest and shortest days of the year, which will immerse the audience into the ever-changing midsummer and midwinter skies.
Solstice was shot in rural Wiltshire, England, on the solstices of December 2006 and June 2007. A fixed camera was pointed at the sky, with the North Star appearing in the centre of the frame. A team of camera operators then recorded for 24 hours from midnight to midnight, with the camera on time-lapse mode shooting 25 times a minute. Each hour was condensed into a minute of footage so, in total, the 24 hours of each solstice were captured in 36,000 stills and translated into 24 minutes of footage.
The resulting films show the rotation of the Earth, creating the appearance of stars circling around the North Star. In the night segments, light trails illustrate the movement of the stars. The films create a visual record of the passage of time and are accompanied by a new orchestral soundtrack by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
Solstice, by Neeta Madahar, runs at PM Gallery, Ealing, from 20 June-20 July 2008.
