-->

Hand On Wire

http://vimeo.com/67590727

2012

Video/kinetic sculpture

Motors, plasma TV, 16 m rail system, metal construction, HD box

2x HD video footage, vertical and horizontal filmed

Duration of single clip 02:40 min

-filmed at Suvilahti, Helsinki and Temppeliaukio, Helsinki

Performers; Thomas Westphal, Niklas Faupel

Electronical Expertise: Gregoire Rousseau

Mechanical Support: Federico Ortegon Perez

 

The starting point for this work was video material that I shoot in summer 2011 at the Suvilahti industrial ground and at Oksasenkatu in Töölö. Because of the different nature of these places the format was chosen to be vertical (Töölös narrow tall streetscapes) and horizontal (Suvilahtis wide industrial scenery). In both locations we see a hand ropewalking electricity lines between buildings.

The videos are shown on a large plasma screen that moves along a 16 m long rail system from one side of the gallery wall to the other. In the end points the screen rotates from vertical to horizontal position and vice versa. Actually this unusual twist originated from the fact that I work with video from the perspective as a sculptor. While shooting the video material on site I did not consider yet that the horizontal/vertical shift would become a difficulty later on. After all I am quite satisfied that the solution to this problem

became an important aspect of the final work.

The distance of the rail system is corresponding to the distance of the original settings. Also the pace of the moving hand in the video image matches the speed of the moving screen. I used two different motor systems, one for the spatial movement and the other for the smooth rotation of the screen. 
A motivating idea behind the installation was a playful concern with space. It became a stage on witch the activities may it be musical or physical performed. What I brought to the space was actually an object installation that was formally constructed through the filter of documenting. The relationship with time, bringing one thing to another, how the exhibition space acts not only as a space as a time dimension as a document somehow.