Ocean of Darkness
The original exhibition Ocean of Darkness (2009) consisted of three parts. A dark space with photographical lightboxes, a 15 minute stereoscopic video and an installation with television screens.
The video forms a hybrid between a nature documentary and a childrens program. In collaboration with stylist Maarten Spruyt, baroque, colourfull and mysterious beings were created from items of clothing and daily life utensils. Set up as a pastiche on mass-appealing immersive movies –presented in the last months preceding the dawn of Avatar’s next wave of 3D mania – the video juxtaposes grotesque imagery with a voice-over contemplating on more than meets the eye. (read the text here ︎︎︎)
As a new chapter in my research on the relation and differences between mass-culture and my artistic practice, this project challenges the adagium of ‘less is more’ by making use of an abundance of available visual aids and techniques. But while this can facilitate and intensify the visceral and sensational experience of a piece of work as it often does in mass-culture, it can also function as an obstruction to a more profound experience. Can Ocean of Darkness guide us to a world beyond concrete matter, or is everything merely shape and form?
camera: Aart Kramer/ styling: Maarten Spruyt, Majid Karrouch / voice over: Richard Blake / voice over recording: FC Walvisch / masks: Guido Kooiman / production: Marlous Niehot / special thanks to: Ilse van Asten, Iris Box, Roos van Mierlo, Danny Molenaar
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The original exhibition Ocean of Darkness (2009) consisted of three parts. A dark space with photographical lightboxes, a 15 minute stereoscopic video and an installation with television screens.
The video forms a hybrid between a nature documentary and a childrens program. In collaboration with stylist Maarten Spruyt, baroque, colourfull and mysterious beings were created from items of clothing and daily life utensils. Set up as a pastiche on mass-appealing immersive movies –presented in the last months preceding the dawn of Avatar’s next wave of 3D mania – the video juxtaposes grotesque imagery with a voice-over contemplating on more than meets the eye. (read the text here ︎︎︎)
As a new chapter in my research on the relation and differences between mass-culture and my artistic practice, this project challenges the adagium of ‘less is more’ by making use of an abundance of available visual aids and techniques. But while this can facilitate and intensify the visceral and sensational experience of a piece of work as it often does in mass-culture, it can also function as an obstruction to a more profound experience. Can Ocean of Darkness guide us to a world beyond concrete matter, or is everything merely shape and form?
camera: Aart Kramer/ styling: Maarten Spruyt, Majid Karrouch / voice over: Richard Blake / voice over recording: FC Walvisch / masks: Guido Kooiman / production: Marlous Niehot / special thanks to: Ilse van Asten, Iris Box, Roos van Mierlo, Danny Molenaar
