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Sensational Silver City is a sound installation at Wonderland

Wonderland Festival

The Sensational Silver City

Graeme Roger

  • Aberdeen City Centre

Overview

The Sensational Silver City

‘THE SENSATIONAL SILVER CITY’ is a film and sound installation that pays homage to this theatrical event by filming a cross section of the North-east community underwater and suspended in time.  A sound design for the work created with composer Lucie Treacher accompanies the work which features the voices of an Aberdeen chorus to create a new ethereal and theatrical artwork.

The inspiration behind the project is based on when the world-famous magician and escapologist Harry Houdini dove into Aberdeen harbour whilst in chains in 1909. A large crowd gathered during a storm to witness him handcuffed and chained and then dropping into the sea from a tugboat within the breakwater of the navigation Channel.  There are many references to his ‘notorious manacled dives’ and the level of drama was high as he spent a minute and a half in the murky depths before resurfacing and coming ashore at Fittie. Many people believed Houdini had superhuman powers, he was a headline grabbing, public celebrity sensation.

Houdini is further connected to Aberdeen through one of his great inspirations, John Henry Anderson, ‘Wizard of the North’ who is buried in St Nicholas Graveyard in Aberdeen city centre.  Houdini was born in the year that Anderson died and Anderson was one of the first great showman and was said to be the first conjurer to produce rabbits from a hat.  Houdini arranged for the upkeep of Anderson grave that had fallen into disrepair.

Important information

Location: 87/89 Union Street

Time: 11am–8pm

 

Price

Free Entry

About the Artist

Graeme Roger is a visual artist working across film, public art, performance, photography, installation & theatre.  All his projects are collaborative in nature with other artists, musicians, directors and the wider community.  Recent projects include the Northern Lights Festival with Lyth Arts Centre, lead artist with Grampian Hospital Arts Trust and project partner in the Moray Culture Collective program.  Over the past year he has created multiple public art projection events putting communities at the core of the work that is produced.   

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