18 - 30 July 2005
London College of Communication, Elephant and Castle, London SE1

Standing on ceremony, keeping up appearances, making do with a penury of materials characterise Chaplin's predicament in his films. From this, Shane Waltener is creating a chandelier made out of recycled kitchenware items accompanied by a soundtrack of bursts of running water. Through her ambiguous narratives, Laure Prouvost recalls the story of a fallen drunken man, inventing a Charlie Chaplin's film for the XXI century. In police polish point Laura Malacart plays on the notion of identity and takes inspiration from Chaplin's film Easy Street where the protagonist is absentmindedly turned into a policeman. Oona Grimes' drawings Spirits of Salts mirror the form of the Penny Dreadful. Incorporating fragments of Chaplin's films, the work echoes the essence of silent film while refusing to construct a narrative. In Sophie Lascelles' 16 mm film, The Interval, a woman reads a programme waiting for the performance to resume; time is suspended.

During the private view, the artist Jon Hicks will present a performance of his portrait painting of Charlie Chaplin.

Keeping up Appearances is part of the London Charlie Chaplin Festival (funded by Film London, BFI, Association Chaplin and Cross River Partnership)

www.londoncharliechaplinfestival.org