Daily from 8:00–24:00, 8 videos by Sylvie Boisseau & Frank Westermeyer, Gregory Buchert, Dimension Émotionnelle, Paul Heintz, Luzia Hürzeler, Frantiček Klossner, Theres Liechti, Elodie Pongare screened without sound interspersed between the regular messages shown on the Congress Center Basel e-board Messeplatz 21 next to Swissôtel Le Plaza.
The videos show different occurences of loner behaviour: solitary people doing their own thing rather aimlessly. Some just can't manage to make themselves understood despite their gestures, facial expressions or language. Their bodies evolve a self-centered being in our very midst. Loneliness can lead to confusion, insulation, to absurd or even life-threatening situations. Loners cause alienation. It is only with a soldier that compassion comes more easily, because of his secretive tears which unmask him as a human being behind the uniform. One begins to search for a reason for his crying in our world he is staring at.
By exposing the works to a lively environment, they undergo an increase in their significance: loneliness occurs in spite the many people, in spite of the flood of information, in spite of the exclusive or newest products. These lonely situations seem even sadder, the brave struggling lone wolves metamorphose into anti-heroes or according to alternative stereotypes, even into superwoman.
Our perception in the media library of the Academy of Art and Design FHNW is quite different from that experienced in the city centre. Here the videos are presented with their original soundtracks (two-thirds of them have sound). It is a traditional presentation with a monitor, headset and seating within a concentrated, quiet, stylish ambience. Here the visitors can fully comprehend the videocity.bs experiment itself: those who are interested can here study the difference between the presentation in the public space and pay heed to the shifts in meaning that arise in interpretations of the same work, be they with or without sound, be it indoors or outdoors. There are additionally a wealth of books. But the experiment in perception can only be experienced by yourself, on your own!
Videos: Under the title of "Loneliness" the following 8 videos by 8 artists or artist groups will be shown on the Congress Center Basel e-boardand at the Mediathek, FHNW.
