English Magic

Jeremy Deller designs English Magic for the 55th Venice Biennale in 2013 for the British pavilion. As the title suggests, the work of this conceptual artist focuses on British society: its popular culture, its folklore or its social codes.

English Magic is a participatory work, many actors take part in its realization, especially for the soundtrack. It is one of the major elements of the film and consists of pieces by Vaughan Williams and David Bowie, performed by an orchestra of amateur percussionists in the legendary studios of Abbey Road in London. The film's images are punctuated by this music and deal with events from the past, the present and an imagined future. The filmed recording of the soundtrack is interspersed with fascinating and sometimes trivial sequences, such as the flight of birds of prey in slow motion, Land Rovers in a car wreckage, a street parade or even children having fun on the Stonehenge site in inflatable structure. Jeremy Deller thus brings out the magic of everyday life, resulting in a celebration and a self-criticism of English culture.

The film English Magic is presented to the public for the first time by the Pinault Collection, during the Nuit Blanche of 2017 at the Bourse du Commerce.