Susan MacWilliam

After Image

2002, B+W and Colour, Stereo, 4 mins 30 secs.

‘After Image’ delves into the bizarre and the extraordinary, exploring the myth that the last image seen before death is retained on the retina of the eye. ‘After Image’ uses film footage from Dario Argento’s obscure 1971 film ‘Four Flies on Grey Velvet’ (Italy) and ‘Los Muertos Hablan’ (Gabriel Soria, 1935, Mexico) alongside footage shot by the artist. During the late 19th and 20th centuries it was believed that the last image seen before death remained imprinted on the retina of the eye. This image was called an optogram and the art of photographing such an image, optography. The ‘Belief’ was validated by advancements in photography and scientific experiments carried out in Germany during the 1870s.

After Image
Exhibitions and Screenings
2007 'Rigor Mort', Castle Ellen House, Athenry, Galway. Curated by Sally Timmons.
2007 'Rigor Mort', Basement Gallery, Dundalk. Curated by Sally Timmons.
2006 ‘Smoke and Mirrors’, mac, Birmingham.
2005 ‘To Be Continued…/Jatkuu…,’ Helsinki Photography Festival, Helsinki, Finland.
2004 ‘Eye Test’, The Stephen Lawrence Gallery, Old Royal Naval College, Maritime Greenwich, London.
2003 ‘House of Science’, Kino Central, Berlin, (British Council).
2003 ‘Afterlife’, Chapter Arts, Cardiff.
2003 ‘Afterlife’, Newcastle Upon Tyne.
2003 ‘Exhumed’, Video Screening, Museum of Garden History, London.
2003 ‘Hindsight’, Video screening, Arnolfini, Bristol.
2003 ‘LUX Open 2003’, Royal College of Art, London.
2003 ‘EV+A 2003’, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick.
2002 ‘Crawford Open 3’, Crawford Municipal Gallery of Art, Cork.
2002 ‘From Dusk to Dawn’, The Stephen Lawrence Gallery, Old Royal Naval College, Maritime Greenwich, London.
2002 ‘Appropriation’, Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast.