Space-Time is a set of installations that examines concepts of cosmology presented by science and art. Dark blue paper rectangles weave together the night sky into a large and perfect circle on the floor. This fabric is covered with animals and stars in clear glass and smaller darker pieces that stream through it like some dark-matter milky way. It is a primitive child-like version of the universe. Its creation hovers somewhere between astrology and astronomy and the stuff of dreams. Kiki Smiths Constellation (1996) (left) looks beyond the physics and chemistry of the cosmos to a personal mind-map of space.

Ginny Reads Tiny Shiny (2005) is a splatter of white dots that could be a star field on a black background. The night sky would look like this if it were not for light pollution and humankind's preoccupation with more important matters. The suggestion is of loss of the infinite by not observing these small sparkling fragments of matter. As these distant suns recede into infinity, their massive presence is perceived as insignificant specks in the sky.

Tehching Hsieh's One year Performance (1980-1) is a really high-speed version of moments in one man's life. The film depicts a time-clock being punched once a day for a year. His shaven head grows hair, he is constantly becoming someone else, and in a little over five minutes he is three hundred and sixty-five days older. It is intriguing, boring, exciting and watchable. Attention to detail is engaged and lost in equal measure. This shrinking of time resonates with daily similarities and differences. It also suggests a man tied to the clock, his job and necessary tedious activity.

Liliane Lijn's Heavenly Fragments (2008) (left) glows with ethereal colour in a darkened room. Demonstrating the beauty that light can achieve when shining through a suitable medium the fragments have an unworldly quality, alien and yet comparable with natural phenomenon. As concrete objects with infinity within, they beguile and mesmerise. Vaclav Cigler's untitled (2008), Heike Brachlow's Intersphere lll and Intersphere lV (2004), and Keith Cummings's Moon Pool (2007) also reflect the infinite but do not entice or proclaim 'I am unique' with the power of Heavenly Fragments.

Ufo church (2005), by Stephen Pippin, purports to be a reconstructed photo of an encounter with an unusual and inexplicable phenomenon. How far this is a conceit and how far reality is not clear from the explanation that accompanies it. The picture itself is unremarkable without the embroidery of the attached story. His 2B Space & Time Drawing (2007) has more reality, as it can be viewed in three dimensions - and the pencil and pile of paper have an enigmatic potential of their own.

Space Time Continuum (c 1965) by William S Burroughs is disjointed speech made by rearranging recordings of his work. They are spliced back together out of order and out of time. Whether this creates a new narrative or is just confusion is left to the individual listener. Again the explanation is critical to have any chance of realising what the artist is about. In a similar way Bill Drummond's Score 326 (2008) is 'an instruction' to make a private performance. This silent musical recital asks the individual to imagine sounds past and future into a ten-second recital in the present. This may work for some, but others may be confounded by exactly what is being asked. Dominick Labino's Untitled # 402 (1976) is more tangible - it's a glass pyramid which reflects. It can be simply viewed as what it is - something that bends light and sends it in a different direction, efficient and beautiful.

Space-Time is a fusion of approaches to the universe, whether it is the whole cosmos or our own personal space. It is thoughtful and eclectic. But only Constellation and Heavenly Fragments are compelling and significant enough to be viewed without any explanation or the proximity of the other works.

Exhibit Credits: Artist/Work: Heike Brachlow - Intersphere lll and Intersphere lV 2004. William S Burroughs (1914-1997) - Space Time Continuum c 1965. Vaclav Cigler - untitled 2008. Keith Cummings - Moon Pool 2007. Bill Drummond - Score 326 2008. Tehching Hsieh - One year Performance 1980-1. Dominick Labino (1910-1987) - untitled. Liliane Lijn - Heavenly Fragments 2008. Steven Pippin - 2B Space and Time Drawing; Ufo church 2005. Ginny Reed - Tiny Shiny 2005. Kiki Smith - Constellation 1996.

Photo Credits: Artist/Work/Details/Acknowledgements: Kiki Smith - Constellation 1996; 26 various glass animal units, 629 bronze cast units and 67 glass star units on Nepal paper; Courtesy of NGC. Liliane Lijn - Heavenly Fragments 2008; Aerogel Fragments of cone and disc on grey mirror in Perspex case, perlescent metallic coated square column housing DVD player, projector; Courtesy of Riflemaker

Venue Credits: National Glass Centre: Chief Executive - Katherine Pearson. Finance Controller - Mark Hindmarsh. Finance Officer - Ashley Woods. Director of Operations - Steve Cowie. Facilities Technician - Matt Jobling. Creative Director - Grainne Sweeney. Creative Producer, Programme and Communications - Alex Evans. Creative Producer, Education and Audiences - Alison Cleland. Curatorial Assistant - Sarah Rothwell. Studio Co-ordinator - Stephanie Moore. Glass Studio Team: Stephen Beardsell, Colin Brown, Christine Keers, Ben Walters. Craft & Design Curator and Buyer - Izzy McDonald-Booth. Restaurant & Catering Manager - Rhys McKinnell. Assistant Restaurant & Events Manager - Steven Gardner. Tourism, Hospitality & Visitor Services Manager - Ruth Hall. Front of House Team: Julie Fentiman, Rachel Groves, Ruth Houlsby, Simon Letouze. Creative Partnerships (Based at National Glass Centre) - John McGagh. National Glass Centre, Liberty Way, Sunderland, UK, SR6 0GL, tel 0191 515 5555, fax 0191 515 5556, email info@nationalglasscentre.com. Website www.nationalglasscentre.com

END

(c) Peter Andrews 2009

reviewed 05 July 09 / Sunderland UK

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

www.fringereport.com