Writing and Passivity, 2000

<<insert images ‘writer2.jpg’ and ‘writer3.jpg’, captioned Writing and Passivity, 2000’>>

Two channel video and two channel audio, 6 minutes, with mirror and magnifier. The two screens are 10cm and 5cm diagonally respectively. First shown in Gift, 2yk Galerie, Berlin, January 27th – February 27th 2000.

In this work the human subject is placed between a continuous animation of a whirlwind, and an intermittent soundtrack with ideologically loaded martial music and the cheers of a crowd. The gaze of the subject alternates between the whirlwind, the music / cheers, and a mirror inscribed with the text ‘it is necessary to struggle on two fronts’. The subject does not write, but constantly turns the pen in its hand, mimicking the rotation of the whirlwind.

The work is intended as an enactment of the problem of ideological certainty. Its human subject is both witness and transmitter, mimicking the disorder of the whirlwind, and responding to the orderly demands of the music, crowd and other elements of its system / environment.

For further information please contact Peter at: p.j.dukes@herts.ac.uk

Last Modified : September 2000

1