Reverse Archeology: Laura Durward and Emily Wood

28 September – 13 October 2019
Nayland Rock Hotel, 1-5 Royal Crescent, Margate, CT9 5AJ

“I tell you what John, if you dig and dig and keep on digging, what is it you even think you’re going to find?!” ‘Got a Huge Signal with My Equinox 800’ is a video installation tracing the currents of desire lurking under the surface of everyday activities. In a playful reimagining of detectorists’ YouTube uploads, the artists probe into the subconscious of a middle aged hobbyist metal detectorist John, to explore the dark and squelchy crevasse of desire.When John digs in Margate sands it is not old coins that he finds, but an empty chair that bursts into flames and instructs him to “dig deeper” with his subterranean tools to uncover whatever it is he has lost. She seduces, goads and humiliates the detectorist until his tepid pursuit for buried treasure unravels into a core or writhing, violent, object-less longing.

‘Unearthing’- In tandem with the September film screening, hand-made metal objects have been buried on Margate beach by the artists above the tide line. We encourage you to go out with a metal detector and see what you find. Objects will be exhibited over the coming months, watch this space!