reconnaissance

November 2012
3 rooms in the “sous-sols”, ISBA Besançon, France

Reconnaissance was an exhibition which has been developed during a residency at ISBA in Besançon.
It features ideas, proposals and works in progress.

Themes such as isolation, the financial crisis and the resulting change of perspective for Greeks (as in subjective alienating self- obsessiveness), missed communication, incessant movement and repetition and the passing of time seemingly without any visible change, solitude, as also the need to reach out to other people instead of focusing on oneself are explored with a lighthearted and playful aesthetic. Slipping between video, installation and interactive actions the works yield an ironic observation of the new surroundings but with an introspective and self-reflecting reference.

[A voyeuristic repetitive view out of the same window each day and a need to document every step that has been made.]
[Rubbings of the Ex-Voto taken from the St.Maurice Church (which in itself seems to be an isolated institution in France) showcasing their unique nature: the exchange of material goods for a desire, solemn testimonies of received help to later visitors, like any happy customer would do.]

[Or in the form of a not yet finished sock in the colours of the french revolution and the stripes of the greek flag, knitted by hand as was done in times of war for soldiers on the frontline.]
[A whole country being eaten up in a feast... An image which also harbors fears of a similar bleak future of other european countries (especially ones that have very good cheese!).]

[And to round this festive atmosphere up all of this happens under the sound of a barrel-organ from another time, that itself needs to be oiled.]

waiting, watching, observing, longing, preparing, hiding, losing perspective and being very nearsighted - isolating oneself.

This is an attempt to focus on how we humans receive, experience, adapt or react to things, as opposed to why these things happen in the first place.