Then I wrote a Song about it

Then I wrote a song about it, 2008

"New York, New York, big city of dreams but everything in New York ain't always what it seems" (Grandmaster Flash)

A subconcious portrait of New York. A multi-layered drawing installation with a soundtrack.
From memories, intuitive geography and sketches Catriona Shaw puts together her image of New York, a fantasy destination, the promising city. To accompany the images she has recorded a soundtrack, which at first seems to be a meandering love letter/poem - an ode to New York, in fact. A song without an audible melody, no catchy tune - the melodic structure being the installation itself, the lyrics spoken as a monologue.
The 'soundtrack' is made up of selected parts of lyrics from real pop songs that feature New York either in the title or content, randomly organised. It both contrasts and supports the drawings, lending a sometimes twee, sometimes passionate, sometimes aggressive dimension.
A confrontation of mainstream perception versus memory and imagined realities, the installation is so set up that the audience has to wander through it, physically, aurally and visually.

Listen to the soundtrack

Images from 'Pop goes the Weasel' exhibition, Badische Kunstverein, Karlsruhe Germany