Ian Helliwell

Ian Helliwell is an audio visual artist based in Brighton, England. Entirely self-taught and self-funded, Helliwell has produced over 80 short films on Super 8 and video since 1992. His work has been screened at many international film festivals, including: the Avanto Festival in Helsinki, Rotterdam Film Festival, Hamburg Short Film Festival, Sónar in Barcelona, Impakt in Utrecht and Kill Your Timid Notion in Dundee. His 2007 26 minute sound piece Expo 67 - a Radiophonic Collage, has been broadcast on radio stations in England, France and the USA. In December 2013 - Assembly: A survey of recent artists’ film and video in Britain 2008–2013 - a major retrospective of 80 British based moving image makers, across more than 20 programmes, completely ignored Helliwell's work. Not one of the 33 films he made in the period covered, was deemed of any value and worthy of inclusion. In stark contrast he had 3 of his short films in Celluloid - a large scale exhibition of cameraless film at the Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt in 2010 - alongside the pioneers in the direct animation field, including Len Lye, Norman McLaren and Harry Smith. His super 8 originated films Get Set, Striations and Orbiting the Atom all featured, and Helliwell performed a live electronic set with his self-built Hellitron generators at the exhibition opening.