Performers in white greeted guests attending the evening celebrations of the inauguration of the Abu Dhabi Media Free Zone 'twofour54' on Sunday. Once inside the venue – a large, white dome – guests mingled and enjoyed refreshments.
For those who wanted to get away, even if for only a short while, there was a 'hidden' entrance to another dome where the senses were not only relaxed, but also tantalised by images that were projected onto four free-standing columns. Larger images were projected overhead directly onto the side of the dome.
This was an exhibition by Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno – or Brian Eno. While not many might know him by name, they may recognise his musical collaborations on albums by U2 and David Bowie.
Speaking to Gulf News, Eno revealed his thoughts about his work and his music.
Ffilling a void
As for what inspires him to draw the images that are projected, Eno said: "What always inspires me is when I imagine something that I wish I can see and I realise that it doesn't already exist – same with music. I kind of imagine or think about a type of music and think 'oh that doesn't exist – well I better make it then'."
Guests may be forgiven for thinking that the images being projected are simply random computer-generated designs. In actuality, the images were originally painted onto slides.
During exhibitions, two or three slides would be projected from different projectors onto a screen to create images before they were all transferred onto a computer programme. And no two are alike.
"The next time an exact combination is repeated is about 450 years. However for the entire show to be repeated exactly, it would take several billion years," he said.
Musical background
While the artist created the music accompanying the images, he admitted that he had been creating music for many years and that initially he played everything – quite badly. But he bounced back by stating that he now creates music in a recording studio.
Despite Brian Eno's success – he has had 120 exhibitions in various countries – he still grapples with the issues faced by anyone with parents.
"When my parents came to one of my shows, my father said 'that's very nice my boy, very nice. But my mother – not long after she came to the show – rang me up and said 'do you think that you would ever get a real job?' She was worried that I hadn't really planned ahead and when all of this finished I would need a real job," he said.
While his works were to be shown only for the evening celebration, Brian Eno wouldn't mind coming back.
"I might come back and do an exhibition of my work. My shows typically last around three weeks so hopefully more people would be able to come and enjoy it," he said.
Accredited musician
As a producer and songwriter, Brian Eno's credits include Remain in Light (1980), by the Talking Heads, The Joshua Tree (1987), by U2, and Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends by Coldplay (2008).
