Mark Walker
Mark Walker’s work takes a violent and surreal look at the idea of the nuclear family through the cartoon image of the Simpsons. Through animation the artist can play out fantasy and imagined scenarios. However in Mark's film the actors are only dressed as the symptoms. When they get hurt or re-enact violence the viewer is placed in an uncomfortable position.
Mark asks us this question: If it were possible to record and playback our dreams, would we like what we saw? For the group exhibition Substation, Mark’s contributionThe Smoke Machine explores this process in which the indefinable is defined and the ephemeral is contained, metaphorically speaking, like smoke in a bottle, or in this particular case, on videotape. This installation continues an exploration of the parallels that exist between the properties of both dreams and smoke. The smoke, a random and naturally unstable substance forms images, in much the same way as when imagery is drawn from the subconscious and presented to the dreamer. When examined in this way, the smoke formations can emote a response communicating via means that transcend its own substance, utilising a language beyond the spoken word.
Since graduating from BA Fine Art at UWIC Mark went on to study at the Royal Institute of film in London. He is currently working on several projects and has produced a series of short films based on intimate relationships between people, which was profiled at the Grander Shadow exhibition in Cardiff in 2001.
Substation
