Spellbound: Art and Film in Britain

Hayward Gallery, 22 February – 6 May 1996

Poster for Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 (1996) by Hayward GalleryHayward Gallery

Spellbound: Art and Film was a collaboration between the Hayward Gallery and its neighbour on London’s South Bank, the British Film Institute. It was curated by Ian Christie – a film historian who had worked with the Hayward Gallery on two previous exhibitions, Film as Film (1977) and Eisenstein (1988) – and the writer, editor and researcher Philip Dodd.

Full-length Press Release for Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 Full-length Press Release for Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 (1995) by Hayward GalleryHayward Gallery

Ten artists were commissioned to make new works celebrating the close relationship between fine art and film, celebrating 100 years of cinema: Fiona Banner, Terry Gilliam, Douglas Gordon, Peter Greenaway, Damien Hirst, Steve McQueen, Eduardo Paolozzi, Paula Rego, Ridley Scott and Boyd Webb.

Gallery Plans for Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 Gallery Plans for Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 (1995) by Hayward GalleryHayward Gallery

Spellbound featured paintings, films, sculpture, photography and installations and took over the entirety of the Hayward Gallery.

Peter Greenaway, In the Dark (1996). Installation View: Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996. Photo: John Riddy (1996) by Peter GreenawayHayward Gallery

In the upper galleries, the film director Peter Greenaway created a dramatic installation that stripped cinema back to its bare essentials. Greenaway described the installation, In the Dark (1993), as an ‘ironic ... deconstructed cinema kit’.

Peter Greenaway, In the Dark (1996). Installation View: Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996. Photo: John Riddy (1996) by Peter GreenawayHayward Gallery

Peter Greenaway's In the Dark and Terry Gilliam's Monolith of Filing Cabinets.

Douglas Gordon, 24 Hour Pyscho (1993). Installation view: Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996. Photo: John Riddy (1996) by Douglas GordonHayward Gallery

Douglas Gordon slowed Alfred Hitchcock’s cult classic to three frames per minute for his 24-hour Psycho (1993).

Installation view: Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996. Photo: John Riddy (1996) by Boyd WebbHayward Gallery

Boyd Webb collaborated with the team behind the satirical programme Spitting Image to create a film celebrating the ‘life and loves’ of a popcorn kernel.

Paula Rego, Dancing Ostriches from Walt Disney's Fantasia (1995). Installation view: Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996. Photo: John Riddy (1996) by Paula RegoHayward Gallery

Paula Rego presented 20 canvasses inspired by her fascination with the work of Walt Disney

Inventory of Items in Peter Greenaway’s 'In the Dark', part of Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 Inventory of Items in Peter Greenaway’s 'In the Dark', part of Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 (1995) by Hayward GalleryHayward Gallery

Inventory of items in Peter Greenaway's installation In the Dark.

Maintenance Information for Peter Greenaway’s ‘In the Dark’, part of Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 Maintenance Information for Peter Greenaway’s ‘In the Dark’, part of Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 (1995) by Hayward GalleryHayward Gallery

Maintenance notes for Peter Greenaway's installation In the Dark.

Sketch of Peter Greenaway's 'In the Dark', part of Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 (1995) by Hayward GalleryHayward Gallery

Sketch of Peter Greenaway's installation In the Dark.

Sketch of Terry Gilliam’s 'Monolith of Filing Cabinets', part of Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 (1995) by Hayward GalleryHayward Gallery

Sketch of Terry Gilliam's Monolith of Filing Cabinets.

Sketch of Terry Gilliam’s 'Monolith of Filing Cabinets', part of Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 (1996) by Hayward GalleryHayward Gallery

Sketch of Terry Gilliam's Monolith of Filing Cabinets.

Sketch of Terry Gilliam's Monolith of Filing Cabinets' for Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 (1995) by Hayward GalleryHayward Gallery

Sketch of Terry Gilliam's Monolith of Filing Cabinets.

Collage for Monolith of Filing Cabinets' for Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 (1995) by Terry GilliamHayward Gallery

Collage by Terry Gilliam giving an impression of his work for Spellbound: Art and Film.

News Release for a Selection of Hayward Gallery’s Upcoming Shows, including Spellbound: Art and Film News Release for a Selection of Hayward Gallery’s Upcoming Shows, including Spellbound: Art and Film (1996) by Hayward GalleryHayward Gallery

Elsewhere on the lower floor of the exhibition Fiona Banner took Vietnam War films including Apocalypse Now (1979) as the basis of her text-based work and Eduardo Paolozzi re-created a set from an imaginary film, mixing props from real films with his own handmade objects.

Press Release for Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 Press Release for Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 (1995) by Hayward GalleryHayward Gallery

For Spellbound, Damien Hirst created his first ever narrative film. Hanging Around (1993) was a dark comedy featuring the actor Keith Allen, the musician Jarvis Cocker and the comedian Eddie Izzard.

Press Cuttings on Spellbound: Art and Film, Hayward Gallery, 1996 (1996)Hayward Gallery

Spellbound: Art and Film was attended by 59,825 visitors – the highest number of visitors for a group exhibition of contemporary art at this point in the Hayward Gallery’s history. Richard Dorment, writing in the Telegraph, found ‘much to admire’ – not least Douglas Gordon’s 24-hour Psycho (1993): ‘one of the most impressive works by a young artist I’ve come across in recent years.’

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
Explore more
Related theme
Hayward Gallery at 50: Uncovering the Archive
Celebrating 50 years of Hayward Gallery behind-the-scenes
View theme

Interested in Visual arts?

Get updates with your personalized Culture Weekly

You are all set!

Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.

Home
Discover
Play
Nearby
Favorites