Rosie Cooper: A Darkness More Than Night, QUAD Gallery, 11 November 2011

Image: Mike Cooter, Scarlet Street, 2006/2011, Courtesy the Kirk Collection.

Thom Andersen /// Chris Burden /// Mike Cooter /// John Divola /// Douglas Gordon /// Johan Grimonprez /// David Noonan /// Hadrian Pigott /// Laure Prouvost /// Fergal Stapleton /// Sturtevant /// Nicole Wermers /// Cerith Wyn Evans

QUAD Gallery
Derby, UK

Curated by Ariella Yedgar and Rosie Cooper

'A Darkness More Than Night' explores contemporary art through 'noir', a genre most readily associated with stylish Hollywood crime dramas of the 1940s and 50s, yet whose precursors date back through nineteenth century to Greek tragedy. Taking a forensic approach, the exhibition considers the aesthetics and mood of noir, and describes them through some of its key components, such as Darkness and Scene of the Crime. Another major noir element is the MacGuffin, a term attributed to Alfred Hitchcock for an object or idea that is pursued by characters throughout a film but that has little inherent value other than to drive the narrative forward. The exhibition features contributions by contemporary artists from across the world who work in a variety of media - including sculpture, installation, print and film.

further text and images below

Many of the themes that are central to film noir are universal: a troubled mind, a fruitless or baffling pursuit of an impossible goal, vice, deceit and the isolating effect of the city. Owing to these enduring impulses and to the stylish and modern aesthetic that are associated with noir, the genre has remained influential for successive generations of practitioners across the arts. Whereas current links between the genre and cinema, graphic novels, literature and television are readily apparent through 'neo-noir', 'A Darkness More Than Night' is the first exhibition to consider the relationship between contemporary art and noir.

The exhibition is accompanied by a booklet entitled 'Miscellany of Noir'.

Left to right: Mike Cooter, Poor Man´s Process, 2008; Sturtevant, Duchamp:Wanted, 1991 (behind Mike Cooter); David Noonan, Untitled, 2011; Johan Grimonprez, Double Take, 2009 (in blue screening room); Chris Burden, Gold Bullets, 2003.

Left to right: John Divola, Set Stills - Stairs, 2003; Hadrian Pigott, Instrument of Hygiene (case 3), 1995; Douglas Gordon, Blind James Cagney and Blind Ava Gardner, both 2004.

Chris Burden, Gold Bullets, 2003.

Douglas Gordon, Blind James Cagney, 2004.

John Divola, Set Stills - Stairs (2002).

Nicole Wermers, French Junkies no. 5, 2002.

Hadrian Pigott, Instrument of Hygiene (case 3), 1995.

Left to right: Mike Cooter, Scarlet Street 2006/2011; Johan Grimonprez, Double Take, 2009 (in blue room); Nicole Wermers, French Junkies no. 5, 2002.