Corin Sworn's Installations Explore Historical Narrative and Memory

Corin Sworn's piece, Endless Renovation, was showcased at Tate Britain in London in 2011, after initially appearing at Washington Garcia in Glasgow in April of that year. The installation features a dimly lit gallery, complete with a curtain, mirrored shelves with vases, and a narrated slideshow. Sworn's voice reflects on found slides from a Glasgow skip, weaving in thoughts about a clockmaker, medieval teens, and dogs from Red Hook, New York. A notable moment in the 13-minute loop reveals that one of the slides is a copy made by Sworn, prompting questions about historical accuracy. Additionally, her 2010 work, Lens Prism, explores memory and identity through an actor's monologue. Sworn's 2013 exhibit, The Rag Papers, further challenges documentary narratives. She participated in Scotland + Venice 2013 at the Venice Biennale from June 1 to November 24, 2013, alongside Duncan Campbell and Hayley Tompkins. An essay by Travis Riley, who won the Afterall Writing Prize in 2012, discusses how Sworn reinterprets images, complicating straightforward historical narratives.