Having negotiated my slightly inaccurate Google map it was a very relaxed Camden Arts Centre that awaited me. The usual clinking of glasses and approving nods provided a comforting backdrop to this latest exhibition of work by Jim Hodges and Breda Beban but this disguised a truly thought-provoking and startling collection.

Arranged by Jim Hodges

I headed straight to ‘Funeral Song’ – a video installation by Beban that had drawn me to the exhibition in the first place. Sat atop wooden frames, 5 chunky television sets played tug-of-war with the viewers who eagerly clasped earphones to their heads. Being viced between these two ear pieces immediately shut out the waiting appreciators and pulled you into Beban’s world of music and emotion.

As previously mentioned on Fallyrag – the subject in each video was asked to listen to the song they would like played at their funeral whilst considering a world that they had left. A fantastic concept and one that had an unpredicted effect on the listener – sucked in as I was I began imaging my own funeral song and a world after I had left it. Pretty heavy daydreaming for a Thursday evening but a powerful piece nonetheless.

With my senses heightened and gently shocked into action by Beban’s work I stumbled into a huge room and was confronted by the work of Jim Hodges. For those of you unfamiliar with the work of Jim Hodges he may well be the best present I can give you this year. I first came across Hodges 2 years ago when researching a project involving movement through still imagery and immediately recognised an explosive piece of two musical staves chopped, diced, pulled and splayed.

Eagle and Butterflies by Jim Hodges

The room offered a broad perspective of Hodges’ work and the sheer breadth of his talent was instantly apparent. The man can turn his hand to anything. Most charming were pieces in which paper had been cut and bent to protrude out of the canvas – hopelessly delicate but with a confident execution. With Hodges’ work you feel it could tear from the gentlest blow and yet survive the harshest storm. 

Despite a gallery brimming with fantastic work, it was a piece almost overlooked in the hallway that deserves special mention. Again, another Hodges piece – this time a newspaper opened under a frame painted entirely in gold. Perhaps the least visually arresting piece of the whole exhibition but one of the strongest concepts I have seen. A newspaper threatening truth and prosperity yet delivering something entirely different – and the gold representing the high esteem in which tomorrow’s fish and chip paper is today revered.

The exhibition of Jim Hodges and Breda Beban’s work runs until September 5^th 2010. For more information head to camdenartscentre.org but be weary of the Google map (following the pointer not the text!)