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Escape
© 2012, Laurent MIGNONNEAU & Christa SOMMERER
developed for The View Contemporary Art Space Swizerland
The installation "Escape" deals with the issue of flight attempt. It was originally developed as site specific installation in the civilian airraid shelter in Salenstein Switzerland as part of Sommerer and Mignonneau’s solo show at the The View Contemporary Art Space.
The installation consists of an antique film projector and an antique projection screen from the 1940ies. The projector was modified to hold a small video projector and some sensor technology.
When visitors enter the room, they see a fat fly sitting on the projection surface of the screen. Once they start turning the handle of the old projector, the fly starts to frenetically move around, like it would be trapped, trying to escape. When continuing to turn the handle, more and more flies would come, packing themselves together as they would have discovered some nutrition onto the screen surface. At one point text starts to form out of the fly pack and when one continues to turn the handle, a text becomes legible. It is a chapter of "The Metamorphosis“ by Franz Kafka where the protagonist Gregor Samsa realizes that he has transformed into a gigantic insect overnight.