Sandra Johnston : Allegiance and assurances

URBAN VIDEO LOUNGE
 
HISTORY
 

Botersloot 44a
3011 HH Rotterdam
(near Central Library)

 

 
03.03.2009 - 08.03.2009
Long Shots 22

Sandra Johnston Belfast IE : Allegiance and assurances (Severn Street) 2008

'Its an ambient piece which I filmed 14 years ago in east Belfast. It shows Protestant kids living in wooden huts beside their bonfire stack, (each year Protestants in hard line communities build huge wooden structures often as high as a large house, to burn on 11th July night) its a sectarian tradition full of hatred, the burning is about antagonising catholics, a show of aggression. Well this film is normally part of a 3 piece synchronised work, but i think its also interesting on its own as a loop: the endless quality of day falling into night into day, and in both instances there is fire which is totally what it was like living there. In the daylight clip a house was actually burning just beside where the children were running up and down the street, you can see the smoke. Then the evening section, the bonfire burning beside the boys huts made from crates and spare wood. Basically not much happens but there is a latent feeling of violence and futility, i still find it hard to believe I lived in among this atmosphere, the hatred and cynicism infected everything, this film makes me very sad' - Sandra Johnston