A dark scene of multiple people holding up individual translucent screens to catch the projections of the opening act Kiatre from the performance space on the other side of the wall. On the wall to the right, the lights of the lenses are visible.
How Do We Project
2022 // THE CLEMENTE, LOWER EAST SIDE, NYC [USA]
Building on my work with room-sized camera obscura’s [MERT, Through Multiple Lenses, ILOVIT Theater] this iteration, introduced a performative aspect; splitting the room in half created a performance and an audience side. The wall had multiple lenses installed, that projected the performance side at different scales. The audience was provided with handheld and other movable screens on which they would capture a unique experience of the performance for themselves; the screens enabled them to explore the projection of the performance space, but never see the entire space. This was a collaboration with Pedro Wainer.
The performance side, lit by a large window, mixed the view of the city with the performers. Throughout the show musicians, dancers, and other artists activated the performance side, along with artworks installed in the space. Amongst the performances were an opening electronic set with visuals by Kiatre, a Dance Installation by Patricia Nicholson and Miriam Parker, with live music by Branson Lopez on a standing bass, Waltz an art interference by Daniela Stubbs-Levi, and a closing electronic set with light installations by Niknil Shah.
Besides this, I set up a darkroom in the back and used the camera to make unique silver gelatin prints, see more about this here, and I have described the construction and process, including more about how the camera functions here.
Visual description: A plan drawing showing the layout of the space for How Do We Project. The drawing shows the light lock, used to enter the darker audience side, and how the large window to the exterior lights the performance side and drives the projections through the multiple lenses, indicated in red cones on the drawing. At the back of the audience space is a darkroom, used to develop unique silver gelatins.
Photo of the audience side of the camera. On the right side is the black wall with four lenses visible on the center, and on the left are the multiple projections, showing the exterior view and one of the installed glass sculptures. All projections are upside down.
Video from the Opening, by Pedro Weiner
An audience member catching a refraction of the projected image in his own hand, while a projection slightly higher sends a beam of light trhough the sapce, which renders visible the outline of two other audience members, one of them holding a portable screen in they hands.
The left half of the photo shows a projection of a small glass artwork enlarged by the projecting lens and mixed with a projection of the exterior from a different lens. The right half shows a person holding a screen in front of a lens, looking at the projection.
A dark photograph, in the center, a person can be seen trying to capture a photograph. Next to them, the outline of another person looking away and at the bottom left a bright projection of the adjacent view through the window.
Two people are holding up a screen inspecting a projection of a painting projected from the performance space.
Two photos next to each other, of the same scene. They show a projection of the exterior city space and the interior space with the ladder leaning next to the column. Part of the screen is fabric, on the left photo it is still, rendering the projection calm, while in the right photo it is moved during the camera exposure, liquefying the image. The audience could manipulate these fbric screens during their visit.
Kiatre gathering their thoughts in front of their equipment. The scene is projected onto a range of different screens as well as the white cabinets, the wall, and ceiling. The projections it is upside down.
Two photos side-by-side from the Dance Installation, a dancer is seen in the audience space in front of a wall where the other dancer is visible upside down, projected from the performance space. In this way, the camera enabled and challenged the dancers to dance visually together, while in separate spaces.
Photo from Dance Installation from the performance space, on the right the two dancers are dancing together in front of the large window, on the left the bassist is playing on a small white stage.
Three photos next to each other from the Dance Installation, a dancer is moving through space with a screen trying to catch a specific image to show the audience in front.
Photo from the closing event, the projection from the exterior is multiple exposed a mixer used by the artist, which in the projection becomes part of the building wall across the way. When playing, the audience could see the musician use the mixer.
Photo from the closing event, a dark scene blending projections of the exterior with the electronic music instruments, and colored light tubes. To the left part of the audience can be sensed in the dark, taking in both music and the visuals.
A close up of the projection. In the middle left, a person is seen walking on the adjacent roof. The left side of the projection on museum-board is sharp, while the right side on fabric shows small wrinkles from the fabric, indicating that the projected image can be moved and played with by manipulating the fabric. The tones are muted.
A projection of Pedro Weiner and Troels Steenholdt Heiredal.