User:Zigbe/writingTriester1

Assignment 1 :: 300 words about 3 works

Bantu (2013)

What: The piece consists in a sculptural bricolage of objects composed to contextualize and present an animated GIF, a cat coming out of a human 3D model ass, as a loop animation. The objects used are: a professional VHS player, a Dell plasma Monitor, a banana branded with a Chiquita sticker, a gypsum powder 3D printed miniature of a human hand, a Video Composite to VGA convertor, cables and a Saint George statue.

How: The animated GIF was first recorded for three hours using a screen capture software while the image was reproduced by Fire Fox. The mouse pointer placed on top of the GIF shows small movements from time to time in order to avoid the screen saver to start, while the illegitimate version of the capturing software over layered the video with a red square outline. Once the video file was made it was, than, played on a media player for 3 more hours while a VHS was set to record the video. This was a long process of transposition of an animated image file to an analog media. The piece was installed in a gallery corner, where the player was placed on the floor with all the objects on top, leaving the banana and the 3D printed hand in the front, and the video converter and the saint statue behind the screen.

Why: The word “BANTU" comes from the African language Zulu and its used to refer to “the people" or “human". It has a straight connection with the content of the piece as well with my interest in Brazilian Syncretic religions. The initial intension for this piece was to make some kind of technological voodoo offer to the gods (see macumba). Intrigued by the formality of the people involved in the show, both curators and artists, the stereotypic elements were also adding some bits of sarcasm to the piece. Despite the judgment of its quality, this piece was intended as a reflexion on the objectification of my interests and on the gap between documentation, action, and the lost information between both.

FIVE HUNDRED AND TEN SHOWS, NO REVOLUTION (2013)

Installation containing an analog TV broadcast tower, five meters high shelves made out of cardboard displaying B&W photocopies on top, two photocopy machines, thirty triangular wooden tables, super market shelves, scaffolding, DJ booth, the gallery’s archive, a modular kitchen, the gallery’s office, a movable presentation station, books, green room and wall excavations.

In a collaborative effort four artist were invited to start a work from the archive of the W139, a thirty years old artist ran project space. This installation deals with the experiences behind the documentations found on the archive and its reproductions. The elements created in the space are subject to transformation according to what is happening inside the space. As an example the triangular tables constructed in different sizes, serves different purposes. It allows modular constructions of several shapes from circular or rectangular tables, to individual spaces for public use. The visual elements constructed in space refers to the different approaches each artist’s practice, while the whole is a shared decision of focusing in a experience rather than displayed objects.

During the initial meetings the four artist discovered one point they all shared, a disinterest in the framework of a white cube. At the same time this common point gave us freedom, it also brings the frustration of not knowing the general goal. With an uncanny space built we were forced to develop the program of happenings in order to bring sense to the viewer. This program has presented music performances, happenings, dinners, lectures, meetings, gatherings, spontaneous festivals, workshops, radio program and talks.