New Jordan Baseman exhibition darkens the Baltic

Mar 11 2010 by David Whetstone, The Journal

WHAT links a botanist, a criminal and a gay activist? DAVID WHETSTONE enters the world of Jordan Baseman.

A DARKENED gallery on Baltic’s ground floor promises a disorientating experience. You’ll enter hands first for fear of a close encounter with a wall or another member of the public.

Inside you will find large screens on three of the walls. If one has flickered into life, you won’t have to wait long for your eyes to adjust to the darkness.

More immediately apparent will be a voice – one of three voices, two male and one female. The darkness focuses attention on the voice and you will find yourself listening intently to what it says.

It was all a bit of a puzzle to me until the artist Jordan Baseman suggested I regard his Baltic installation as a portrait exhibition but with portraits aimed primarily at the ears rather than the eyes.

Each of the three screens shows visual material relating to the owner of one of the three voices, although we never actually see the speakers.

We hear their voices clearly. Everything else, whether the images on the screen or the subtle soundtrack, is atmosphere designed to build up an appropriate aura.

The three film portraits are presented as if they were part of one piece of work. They have a collective title, The Most Powerful Weapon in this World, but the artist insists these are three portraits, each completely independent of the others.

Sheila Collenette was holding forth when I entered the ground floor gloom. The voice was that of an elderly woman, although strong and authoritative.

Sheila, who is described as a botanical explorer, is reflecting on her years spent collecting specimens for the British Museum, Kew Gardens and the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh.

What you hear is a pretty seamless monologue which contains some surprises and some darker memories.

“It’s a portrait but it’s not trying to be factual,” said the artist mysteriously. “It’s not necessarily the truth. It’s a composite which gives a flavour of somebody but filtered through me.

“This is not the way she presented herself to the world. I’ve taken from the interview what I wanted.”

But, I countered, isn’t this what all journalists or documentary film-makers also do?

“Documentaries have something to prove but this is just my interpretation of a person’s experience in the world,” said Baseman, a UK-based American.