Wednesday, June 3, 2009

"old forms could be new, without being nostalgic"

Mark Lewis, the artist representing Canada in the Canadian pavilion in the Giardini, discussed a lot about rear projection that he used in his new work. He considers this method relevant, for it underlines the flatness of the work itself. It creates the sensation of a bad illusion that makes us aware of its presence, but in the same way it includes us in its existence. So, we could say that it has a double nature. Lewis does not pretend that the illusion should be seen as such, but at some point it should include the spectator. This idea of destroying the illusion in its becoming is very much of Modernist trope. What we see is really a modern form existing inside of the classical one. In 1930s, the introduction of a sound obliged directors to additionally add the background to the film scene because outside noise was too great. But Lewis, as Hitchcock, finds it interesting to use this technique, as it encompasses the element of disavowal. As he puts it: "I like it, because I know it's not real.."

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