Suspiration, [noun]—a long deep breath or a sigh. The film is a collage of images, bodily gestures and sounds. The structure and the score of the film are comprised of the body’s audible release of liquid and air; enmeshed utterances and ir/regular vibrations. Although we do not hear the narrator’s voice, their presence is made evident through these reverberations: breath; urine against a toilet bowl; vibrations; the knock of fingernails against teeth; queefs. These noises, combined with electronic beeps, drums and the repetition of a match striking—over and over—create an anxiety inducing score.
Utilising different forms like printed text outlines and the artist’s handwriting feel like ways of distinguishing a reference point, a cinematic weaving of different paths of thought. Taylor’s practice is one of meticulous research and suspiration! is a continuation of lines of inquiry that they have been pursuing over the last few years, woven together and processed through the body. Excerpts from work by Frantz Fanon, Christina Sharpe Fred Moten and Stefano Harney populate the screening, gesturing towards a lineage of black radical thought. —Myriam Mouflih
suspiration!
In suspiration!, Taylor brings false promises made by the United Kingdom to the surface with pieces of news footage and a spoken testimony describing racism in the UK. Amongst this bleakness, moments of beauty shine through, indicating the possibility for reassurance and hope.