Emily Richardson “Petrolia”

Shedhalle / Exhibitions / Lands End / Artists

Emily Richardson, UK: “Petrolia” (Still), 16mm film, 2005

In her film “Petrolia” the British video artist Emily Richardson observes the bustle of the oil industry of the Scottish coast. We see an oil platform, quietly on the sea, we see ships passing and the industrial architectures of refineries. The film comes across like a dance, in fast motion Richardson cuts the movement of the cranes, ships, and platforms, the clouds of smoke, and the emergency lighting of the refineries.

Emily Richardson, UK: “Petrolia” (Still), 16mm film, 2005

The settings change between silence, absurdity, and toxic-explosive beauty. The movie pictures, together with the electronic compositions of Benedict Drew, make us aware of the monstrosity of the oil industry that is constantly exploiting this natural resource millions of years old and transform them into a bewitching image of our time.