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.

“What I’m doing is inviting the audience to make up their minds independently about a person.”

The Sheila Collenette portrait is called Joy on Toast. Far more sinister is Inside Man which causes the screen on the opposite wall to flicker into life.

What it shows is a young woman and her friends dancing in a nightclub in 1977, nothing directly related to what the speaker – in a voice reminiscent of the actor Ray Winstone – is saying.

“I took out an ad in Private Eye (the satirical magazine) and he responded,” said Baseman.

The ad asked simply: “Got a story to tell? Artist seeks subjects.”

The subject of Inside Man had a story which he was happy to tell, although not to a judge and jury.

“He’s in self-imposed exile in Norway,” said the artist. “He’s still wanted in various parts of the UK. He’s done some pretty despicable things but they’re not included in the film.”

This anonymous law breaker travelled to London to be interviewed in a hotel and reminisced about his first childhood crime, stealing the money saved for a kids’ Christmas party.

“It was a horrible thing to do and that’s the only thing I’m really ashamed of,” goes ‘Ray Winstone’, whom Baseman later identifies as Geoff.

“I knew later I’d like to put it right but that act followed me for years.”

The under-stated soundtrack was composed by Baseman himself.

“I was trying to get a feeling of suspense, like Halloween. I used to listen to the soundtrack to that film all the time. There’s a great story that (director) John Carpenter was offering the film around and no-one would take it – until they heard the soundtrack.”

The third portrait is Nasty Piece of Stuff and it features veteran gay activist Alan Wakeman reflecting on his early experiences in the London of the 1960s.

“He has lived in Piccadilly Circus and has done since about 1968,” said Baseman.

The quirky sight/sound arrangement in this portrait is that every time Wakeman speaks you see something on the screen. The pauses equal darkness.

What characteristics distinguish a potential Jordan Baseman subject? Well, all clearly have a story which forms the basis of the Baseman portrait process.

Jordan Baseman, who has exhibited twice in the North East before, has made hundreds of these artistic portraits. More of his work can be seen on www.jordanbaseman.co.uk

The Most Powerful Weapon in this World can be seen at Baltic until May 9.