AirSpace Gallery

Hetain Patel presents a split-screen film entitled ‘To Dance Like Your Dad’. One thing that is evident from this piece is the artist’s attention to detail and the precise nature in which he undergoes his work. The film consists of a split-screen, the artist’s dad on the left and the artist himself on the right. What starts as a simple idea for a film piece has been developed beautifully by the artist to create a complex and very engaging short film. On the left you see Patel’s father begin to explain what his employment involves and he gives a tour of the work premise and machinery which he uses. On the right you see the artist mimic perfectly each movement and spoken word from his father, emphasising the title and the pressure that may be upon the son of the family to follow in his father’s footsteps. Again this is a piece which explores identity and what impact being associated to multiple cultures can have on an individual. The preparation for this piece has clearly paid off and this film only works as well as it does due to the artist’s high standards. The space which the artist has used to mimic his father’s movements, has been calculated precisely so that he can walk the same number of steps, turn and move in the same way without being confronted with a wall or obstacle or even having to compromise movements due to having a lack of space. For anyone that is interested in art that requires a precise methodical approach, I would strongly recommend seeing this film so that you can appreciate the artist’s efforts fully. Overall it is a strong piece and Hetain Patel is one to look out for in the future.