Peter Kilchmann Galerie, Zurich Acquired from the above by the previous owner
Exhibitions
Willie Doherty, In the Dark, Projected Works, Kunsthalle Bern, Bern, June - September 1996
Literature
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Signed on a label affixed to the reverse. Cibachrome on aluminium. Framed dimensions: 134.6 by 190.5 cm. Executed in 1995, this work is number 1 from an edition of 3....
Executed in 1995, this work is number 1 from an edition of 3.
The landscapes that I photograph are often inscribed by events of the past, terrains where the forces of history and politics collide. These are not neutral spaces, they remain highly contested and retain the power to amplify our fears, and anxieties, and to shape our hopes, and aspirations. My practice is committed to evolving a language to address these complex issues, to synthesise the documentary effect of the photographic image with the uncertainty of fiction. I’m still discovering in my video and photographic works what the potential of this blend of actuality, reportage, narrative, and performance might be. Dreams of the past and of the future.Willie Doherty
Another print of this work is in the collection of the Imperial War Museum, London. Their cataloguing records the following:
"Throughout his career Willie Doherty has explored the portrayal of his native Northern Ireland in the media and in broader visual culture. In doing this he also raises questions about the manipulative power of photography. 'Unapproved Road' shows a makeshift roadblock, seemingly harmless at first glance. But once we know that this a border road in rural Northern Ireland, the scene takes on a broader, darker significance. The photograph has a staged quality, calling into question our perception of the image. The position of the cement blocks suggests an impact, perhaps an indication of a violent past event. They are also interventions in the landscape, blocking the route and reminding us of the significance of land and territory in the conflict in Northern Ireland."