16mm film (Tacita Dean)

Tacita Dean, still from Kodak, 16mm colour film, 44mins, 2006 (Tate Collection)
I welcomed the announcement that Tacita Dean had been awarded the commission for the next Turbine Hall installation at Tate Modern (see below) – and wondered what she might do. An article by her, Save Celluloid, for Art's Sake, in the Guardian reveals that it will involve 16mm film. However, the point of the article is to lament the news that the last professional lab in the UK to print 16mm film has ceased to do so. Dean’s interesting article eloquently describes the skills and resources that will be lost as a consequence.

The news renders even more poignant, the current exhibition The Days of Darkrooms and Reel to Reel: ANALOG showing at Riflemaker until 5th March (see below).