Break | through
Videoinstallation, 2 x 6 minutes, 2011
Concept, animation, sound: Philipp Artus
A capricious spider creates an audiovisual choreography by destroying a wall.
Installation
Listen closely. Good headphones or speakers are recommened.
“You know the day destroys the night, Night divides the day. Tried to run, tried to hide. Break on through to the other side, Break on through to the other side,
yeah.”
“Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer sitzt ’ne große… Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer sitzt ’ne große… Seht euch nur die … an, wie die … … kann! Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer sitzt ’ne große…”
Concept
Two animations of a destructive spider are projected on both sides of a revolving wall. The viewer can at any time see only one side – but simultaneously hears both. This dualistic setup puts the audience in a state of wonder, as they need to constantly decide which side they look at.
Originally the installation was commissioned for the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the guideline was to create a piece about separation. The dualistic setup makes the audience experience visual division and auditive unity simultaneously. This allegorical framework is counterbalanced by the spider, which adds an element of absurdity and surprise to the piece.
As the initial context of the Berlin Wall is not explicit, “Break | through” opens up a broader reflection on dualisms. It's a choreography about destruction that plays with the aesthetics of American B-movies.
