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Adria Julia, Associates Gallery, Hoxton, 3/8/07

From:     Steve Smith
Category: ArtExhibitions
Date:     07 August 2007
Time:     11:37 AM

Review:

Adrià Julia is a Spanish artist, born in Barcelona and now relocated to Los Angeles he brings his 
view of the U.S to Hoxton Street in the Associates Gallery.
Somewhere in the suburban sprawl of Los Angeles a housewife, Taylor, talks us through the contents 
of her home, a massive collection of family photo albums, her husband's sports trophies and 
memorabilia, we see a woman proud of her family and her home.

The incongruity in these films comes from the siting, in the small confines of Associates with the edgy 
and grubby surrounds of Hoxton outside the spacious and ordered interior of Taylor’s home seems a 
world away. Taylor’s voice is overdubbed with that of a local Hoxton woman so the accent and 
rhythms of speech are that of London. From a shared language it is clear that there is a massive gulf, 
somewhere between the east end of London and the suburbs of Los Angeles is not only a 
geographical space but a cultural space. There is a uniqueness to the voiceover, it reflects how many 
feel about contemporary London, developing, growing but inevitably leaving certain nuanced aspects 
of traditional London life behind. This is the unique element of Julia’s film. 

Wherever Taylor may recount her story, in whichever part of the world it will always be unique, this 
translation of language, dialect, accent, speech will highlight those nuances of cultural locality. 
Taylor’s home surroundings, her mannerisms and narrative will remain constant but in each location 
little pieces of the host city or town will creep in and show us the tiny details of locality through the 
voice that speaks Taylor’s words.


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