Index Cards and Letters

At The Modern Institute’s gallery on Osborne Street were two 16mm films by Luke Fowler. Throughout his career, Fowler has sought to explore the limitations of conventional modes of documentary filmmaking through a varied practice which encompasses film, sound, installation, photography and performance. His films have been described as ‘para-documentary’ and often interweave archival footage with his own camerawork and sounds. Fowler’s film portraits often hinge on neglected public figures or movements which have been marginalised, erased or misrepresented by contemporary culture.

These two new works marked a turn away from Fowler’s previous focus: both take as their subject matter the domestic archives of letters and notes created by the artist’s parents.