photo by else kramer
We’ve collected re-thought images, video and sound here
re-thinking visual
laetitia boulud | alex de jong
getting access
When people ask about the work, one thing I downplay, but sometimes say, is that it is also political. It’s about getting access to visual arts for me as a blind artist, and making it accessible too. It’s not just a postcard from the country of the blind, it’s also an entrance ticket to visual arts, or so I hope. A festival such as Mapping is tough going, although even with my level of sight I could enjoy all installations at MAMCO, with the exception of that by Mathias Oostrik. However, most performances, workshops, sessions were inaccessible, not because of the sight thing, but because of an inability to get the information I need in large crowds (i.e. a room with more than 5 people in it). In those situations I really need a guide/bodyguard/pointer-out, but that such a person is not always available. And so, being at a festival, usually an excellent way to get to knowledge, simply by connecting with people over drinks, was of very limited use. And I think that this is the main factor holding back participation by blind people in visual arts: for now, “blind art” exists as if in a Reservation, with specialized organisations promoting it, arranging showings of blind artists’ work. Only a handful, it seems, operate as other artists do. At Mapping it certainly felt like an uphill battle. It occurred to me how isolated I was, how apart from the general flow of things. With that came the opening up of a huge field of practice. Immersiveness, spatial interventions: that road seems open to me
it’s the soul that sees
Israeli broadsheet Ha’Aretz ran an article/interview about us in their Shavuot edition, dedicated to the ten commandments. Ours was the second: “do not make graven images”. We’re honored!
The article can be read here.
l’art immersif round table at mappingfestival 2010
Yesterday was the occasion for a round table discussion we took part in, together with Herman Kolgen, composer, artist and curator Alain Thibault and Alex Posada of hangar.org fame, who shows an accoustic sculpture at Mapping. We each presented our work, offering four different takes on the theme of “immersive art”. A few things crossed my mind. First, how -as Alain said – with these installations we are in a prehistory of immersiveness. There seems to be a tendency to want to achieve immersive states such as can be found in gaming. Interestingly we went the other route, designing our installation in Second Life, then handcrafting it almost entirely from low-tech materials such as can be found in hardware stores. The technological prowess displayed in all the works shown was impressive, but it must be the photographer in me who thinks such technology is ultimately there just to capture the fabric of life as it presents itself to us.
Longing For Sight launched at MappingFestival2010
After a week of extremely hard graft, long days and mounting tension our installation, Longing For Sight, is live at MappingFestival 2010 in Geneva. It will be in place and open to be experienced until the 17th of May. The location is BAC, at MAMCO. We want to thank the entire Mapping crew, but especially  Fanny Devouassoux and her technicians for assisting us to make this a reality. It was amazing to have so many people come to experience it already on opening night, and to witness people in the dark space and in the dome. Incientally, we are part of the round table discussion on May 13th, so if you are in Geneva, stop by and say hello to us. Meanwhile, we have some video material for you. Granted that we keep the place very dark, it is however possible to get an impression of what goes on inside.
hearing voices
One part of Longing For Sight, the installation we’re currently preparing to show at Mapping Festival, is a dark space where voices can be heard. Here are the voices of Ariel, DJ Morpheus, Elsa, Jason, Laetitia, Martin, Sam, Shanti and Shelly: it’s best if you listen with headphones.