Scrapyards, street parades, an inflatable Stonehenge and a giant Sunday roast – all set to a steel drum soundtrack of David Bowie, A Guy Called Gerald and Vaughan Williams, recorded at Abbey Road. In this exclusive video work from his Venice Biennale British pavilion show, Jeremy Deller gives us an off-the-wall vision of England.
English Magic - a new film work by Jeremy Deller - forms a major part of his exhibition for the British Pavilion in 2013. The film brings together many of the ideas behind the works in the Pavilion, featuring visual and thematic elements that reflect Deller's interest in the diverse nature of British society and its broad cultural, socio-political and economic history. The music is performed by the Melodians Steel Orchestra from South London and was recorded in Studio 2 of Abbey Road Studios in London.
• Deller's British Council commission is at the Venice Biennale until 24 November and will tour the UK in 2014
Comments
Great performance, great video. Looks like everywhere else but in TnT pan is being used in non-traditional and exciting ways. Here we're too blind to see the potential.
Performing at the opening of the festival was an unforgettable experience. One that we will never forget. The most important thing was continuing our objective of taking the steel pan to new audiences around the world.
Italy is the 31st country we have visited including North Korea. Next on the list is Lusaka in Zambia from June 12th to 24th.
Terry Noel JP
Leader of the Melodians Steel Orchestra UK.