Commissioned by the MAC, Nicholas Keogh’s new film, A Removals Job, 2012, celebrates the camaraderie of a group of workers and the unspoken exchanges between them.

The film follows the household clearance of a traditional two-up, two-down red brick terrace in Belfast. At first, the movements of the workers are erratic and violent; only after an understanding of each character has been established is order restored. Their movements are subtly choreographed, producing a seamless flow of objects that slot perfectly into a skip — reminiscent of the classic 1990s computer game Tetris.

Belfast-based Keogh’s previous work includes the construction and sailing of a bin boat along the Grand Canal in Venice. The boat was made from an industrial wheelie bin, bathtub, washing machine and other recycled items. This was part of Northern Ireland at the Venice Biennale, 2005.

A special thanks to the Lawrence Street Workshops and Hugh Mulholland, who made this project possible.

Artist Talk

3 May, 6pm

Nicholas Keogh in conversation with exhibition curator, Hugh Mulholland