Just like Alice through the rabbit hole. A trap for your ego.
Year: 2017
Place: Polyvalent Hall, Cluj-Napoca
Materials: Mirrors, LED bars, wood
Dimensions: The Tunnel: 2.4 x 2.4 x 12 m, 3 pannels 2.4 x 2.4 m
Context: Untold Art, during the 3rd edition of the festival. Project developed with the support of Untold Festival.
Keywords: Mirror, narcissism, invisible, tunnel, reflections, optical dissolution, trip.
Concept
As you enter the space, the very fabric of reality, which is usually perfectly simulated by the mirrors that are supposed to be truthful, is decomposed in a million different fragments distorting and diluting seemingly familiar sights, including the viewers themselves. As if falling through the looking glass or the proverbial rabbit hole, certainties seem to lose their edge – paradoxically by receiving new ones, and even the viewer’s very self is recomposed up to the point of non-recognition. This is a testament to the level of trickery and augmented reality that can be achieved solely through the means of mirrors, such an ancient yet continuously fascinating object. However profound this constructed new reality may go, something should be said about another aspect of working with mirrors, namely how they incite to narcissistic behavior. This type of superficiality may indeed outweigh the heavy intellectually-oriented concept, especially in the eyes of the regular visitor. Still, on the other hand, it certainly increases its attractiveness factor. This may play out well in since only prolonged exposure may actually turn the audience towards introspection.
Challenges
72 mirror panels consisting of more than 800 kilograms of fragile mirrors (85.000 pieces) and about 900 kilograms of wooden supports - this should pop-up a warning signal in the production and logistics area, or you'll find its significance in your lower back for some time afterward. Moreover, security and crowd control / public flow should be in your mind when presenting works with mirrors or visually engaging elements to over 25.000 visitors in 4 days. Things to consider - production team, help in logistics, think your massive artworks in modules that fit in standard transportation containers, plan the visitors' flow, and place security steward that can also offer more information on the content/concept of the piece.
Support
Helping hands - Paul Moldovan, Hajnal Csibi, Diana Buga, Vlad Bulgăr, ASUAD and exASUAD people, Untold volunteers. Production & logistics: Florin Brățan, Horia Radu, Wattech, Adrian Cosma. Text: Voica Pușcașiu. Photo: Pavel Curagău. Video: Andra Roman.