Remote Viewing

Incorporating research in the fields of psychical research, psychology, physiology, photography and optical viewing, Susan MacWilliam's work explores ideas about the visible and the invisible, about vision and perception, reality and illusion. Through the use of video, photography and sculptural installation, Susan MacWilliam has created pieces of work on wide scoping aspects of the paranormal including accounts of materializing mediums and clairvoyants, optograms, trance, x-ray vision and dermo-optical perception, exploring specific myths and histories, challenging ideas about presentation and the credibility of an image. Susan MacWilliam: Remote Viewing features the artist's most recent work and her research into mediums, hysteria and psychology. Organised into three main sections the book looks extensively at her recent work including the three pieces being put forward for the Venice Biennale 2009; F-L-A-M-M-A-R-I-O-N, Eileen and Dermo Optics. With supporting essays from a collection of prestigious writers and experts in the field, including poet Ciaran Carson, Venice Biennale curator Karen Downey, art writer Slavka Sverakova, Brian Dillon and Martha Langford, and excerpts from correspondences with parapsychologists, Remote Viewing is an extensive, in-depth look into MacWilliam's artistic practice and the inspiration behind these major projects. AUTHOR: Karen Downey has worked as Exhibitions Director of Belfast Exposed Photography since 2000. She was UK curator for the European Central Photography Award in 2008 and in 2009 curator for Northern Ireland's presentation at the Venice Biennale. ILLUSTRATIONS 170 colour & b/w illustrations