Flatpack Festival
Film for all the senses

Make It New John + Duncan Campbell

Saturday 26th March, 2011

Ikon Eastside | 15:00 - 16:50

Artist Duncan Campbell in conversation, after a screening of his film about Delorean's adventures in Northern Ireland.

Best known for its starring role in Back to the Future, the DeLorean DMC-12 is an enduring symbol of brash 80s optimism. Its designer John DeLorean had risen through the ranks at General Motors, and when he left to set up his own company he persuaded the British government to help bankroll a new factory on the outskirts of Belfast with a promise to bring prosperity and unity to the area. It all turned out very differently. In a story which rings plenty of contemporary bells, Make It New John stirs together 50s surf tunes, 80s news reports and scripted reconstructions to explore the mechanics of selling a dream.

Born in Belfast and based in Glasgow (and not to be confused with the UB40 member of the same name), Duncan Campbell is an artist preoccupied with the way in which myths can solidify into fact through the media. He often works with found material, delving through archives for outtakes and offcuts which will help to illuminate the edges of a story. His 2008 film Bernadette uses contemporary news footage to create a fascinating but deliberately fragmented picture of Republican activist-turned-minister Bernadette Devlin, and more recently he has explored the Northern Irish adventures of Delorean. Today he’ll be talking to curator Anna Douglas about how his work comes together.

This event is presented in association with Animate Projects. Make It New John was commissioned by Film and Video Umbrella, Chisenhale, Tramway, and The Model, Sligo. Supported by Arts Council England.

Please note that, contrary to the calendar in the Flatpack brochure, this event is taking place at Ikon Eastside and not the Electric.

Dir: Duncan Campbell UK 2009 With: John Delorean Running Time: 55 mins

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