Ben Rivers

[Laura Simpson on Ben Rivers]: There are some canny and some uncanny connections between Ben Rivers’ Sack Barrow, filmed in an outdated factory, and John Grierson’s life and work. They represent conscious links in relation to the politic for artists working with actuality, but also, and more importantly, there is an affinity evident in both their practices where poeticism is seen within the real world, a real world riddled with symbolism and mythology, quiet iconic figures and close quarters with nature.