Commissioned for the The Floating Cinema’s 2017 tour, On the Bench is a series of eight films by Harry Meadley which features interviews with residents dispersed across South and East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.
The eight individuals featured in the artwork all articulate what motivates them to keep pursing their chosen field. Through frank and personal discussions, a range of topics are covered by the participants. These include the impact of education on imagination; the influence of historic events on contemporary circumstances; and the current social and economic backdrop that individuals navigate. Collectively the eight episodes that form the series highlight the dynamics between location, culture, creativity and identity while underlining the dedication and perseverance of the individuals being interviewed.
Spurred on by his circumstances as an artist contemplating his own trajectory, On the Bench is a part biographical, part autobiographical work, where personal concerns are foregrounded and imagined futures are articulated.
On the Bench formed the central feature of In Dialogue, the final programme to be presented by UP Projects on The Floating Cinema. Alongside this new artwork, In Dialogue presented a corresponding programme of films and documentaries that echoed the themes of dedication, perseverance and determination that feature in Meadley’s artwork.
On the Bench was filmed in Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster, Swinton, Thorne, South Ferriby, Goole and Hull. Each location formed part of The Floating Cinema's 2017 tour.
The commission and The Floating Cinema were supported by Arts Council England's Strategic Touring Programme, BFI, Film Hub North, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Canal & River Trust, Hull City Council and forms part of Hull City of Culture 2017.
View On The Bench below.
