Towner Eastbourne presents Gerard Byrne’s Jielemeguvvie guvvie sjisjnjeli - Film inside an image

In the film, Byrne slowly documents the 360-degree panoramic display of the famous natural history diorama at Biologiska Museet in Stockholm, Sweden. The museum opened in 1893 with a display composed of taxidermy and scenic painting that imaginatively transported visitors to the Nordic wilderness. Illuminated only by daylight, the illusion of a natural habitat captivated audiences for over a century. For Byrne, the light-filled diorama can be understood as a form of image making technology, an innovative precursor to photography and film.

Jielemeguvvie guvvie sjisjnjeli - Film inside an image is titled in English and the endangered Nordic language of Southern Sámi. No equivalent word exists for 'film' in this language, interestingly the closest translation is 'Life within an image'.

Footage of the museum, combined with field recordings of animal calls and birdsong, speaks to our relationship with animals, the natural environment and ideas of preservation.

A wider selection of works from the Towner Collection exploring these themes will be exhibited in the Ravilious Gallery and Collection Library. This will include Margaret Benecke, Elizabeth Frink, Tom Hammick, Roland Jarvis, Henry Moore and Eric Ravilious amongst others.

Towner Eastbourne has been collecting and exhibiting contemporary art for more than 100 years. The gallery sits where the coast and the South Downs meet and presents exhibitions of national and international importance for audiences in Eastbourne, the UK and beyond, showcasing the most exciting and creative developments in modern and contemporary art. Towner develops and supports artistic practice and collaborates with individuals, communities and organisations to deliver an inclusive, connected and accessible public programme of live events, film and learning. Towner’s collection of almost 5000 works is best known for its modern British art – including the largest and most significant body of work by Eric Ravilious – and a growing collection of international contemporary art. Towner Eastbourne was Museum, of the Year 2020 and was the host of Turner Prize 2023.

townereastbourne.org.uk