Annis Joslin
'And the Rest.' email installation
October 3rd - October 26th 2001

'And the Rest.." is a text based work created by Annis Joslin in response to the Brahm Gallery's location and the communication technologies used in the everyday activities of Brahm's employees . Over the four week duration of the exhibition fourteen emails will be sent by the artist to one of four employees working within the Brahm Building. Consequently, the Brahm Building is integral to the work and the exhibition changes everyday. The recipient of the emails will put up the emails in a specified order.

At first the text may appear fragmented, the eye catching individual statements or words and the viewer may make up their own sentences. If, however the text is read in a particular order the viewer will see unfolding the gradual development of an entire chapter ('Waiting') from "A Lover's Discourse - Fragments)' by Roland Barthes (Jonathan Cape Limited 1979).

The speed and development of electronic communication has in some way sought to eradicate the experience of waiting. Communication technology is developed to make everything easier, faster, breaking the boundaries of problems and distance.

You send an email, it arrives instantly to the recipient, let's call her Jane. But Jane has just stepped out for coffee with John. You try Jane's mobile only to find yourself in the voicemail void. (Jane doesn't want to be interrupted while she's with John). You expect a reply and you find yourself waiting. The sheer speed of electronic communication doesn't put an end to waiting; it is in fact made worse. You no longer have the comfort of things being in transit - your lover simply didn't write. Gone is the excuse of things being 'lost in the post' - you just didn't get it together and they know it.

Annis Joslin is an artist who works predominantly with video. Based in London, she most recently graduated from Chelsea College of Art and Design with an MA Fine Art Combined Media.