Justina Burnett
Fiona Clague
Umberta Genta
Katherine Green
Sally Haworth
Kelly Hill
Emma Horn
Candida Jones
James Kerr
Helen King
Russell Kleyn
Christina Lange
Allan Pollok-Morris
Alessandro Quisi
Johanna Ruebel
Sybil Roskill
Eva Sauret
Tessa Shaw
Harry Sheward
Sarah Shoughi
Helena Smith
Paddy Sutton
Slawomira Walczak
Credits
Download
Screensaver:
PC | Mac
Feotal, 2006
W: www.kellyhill.co.uk
E: info@kellyhill.co.uk
M: +44 (0)78 8423 2478
T: +44 (0)20 7729 8964
When the child was a child
I was influenced by the reflection on childhood that accompanies the
opening sequence of ‘Wings of Desire’ by Wim Wenders (see poem
below). In the film the children in the city can see the angels who
gently observe the community. The narration touches on the elements I
wanted to communicate – the fragility of childhood, fantasy inspired
by the everyday, inhibition, daydream, curiosity, intelligence and
imaginative play. Wender’s film is an atmospheric and reflective
mood piece that relates more to music than the structure of a
conventional film or novel, savouring the details of a pedestrian
existence and the inherent beauty of everyday experiences. I wanted
to touch on the ‘otherness’ of childhood – how children are in their
own little world, neither here nor there, but caught in an imaginary,
impressionable bubble.
When the child was a child
it walked with its arms swinging
it wanted the stream to be a river
the river to be a torrent …
and this puddle to be the sea.
When the child was a child
it didn’t know it was a child
everything was full of life,
and all life was one.
When the child was a child
it had no opinion about anything,
it had no habits.
It often sat cross-legged,
took off running …
had a cowlick in its hair
and didn’t pull a face
when photographed.
When the child was a child
it was the time for these questions;
why am I me, and why not you
why am I here, and why not there?
When did time begin,
and when does space end?
Isn’t life under the sun
just a dream?
Isn’t what I see, hear and smell
Just a mirage of the world
before the world?
From Wings of Desire, by Wim Wenders and Peter Handke