| Marnix de Nijs is one of
Netherland’s most famous multimedia artists. He has been invited
by the CCCS to create a site specific installation in Florence. From May
15th until June 30th 2008 the installation will be shown at the CCCS at
Palazzo Strozzi.
Exploded Views – Remapping Firenze comprises two industrial
treadmills placed in front of a huge screen showing, part film, part computer
graphics, the deserted streets of a virtual Florence. The action of the
observer’s body is the determining factor: the 3D images are set
rolling by the physical effort made by the viewer, revealing an imaginary,
“poetic” Florence where real architectural shots explode into
an infinity of pixels. The speed of the observer/runner has a direct impact
on the intensity of the aesthetic experience. In the work of Marnix de
Nijs, the observer becomes the protagonist. The interface between the
body and technology hands over control to the viewer who decides which
direction to take and how to up the intensity of the images traversed.
While the visual world represented concentrates on the concept of emptiness,
on the total absence of any human imprint and on the sheer beauty of the
spaces, the acoustic element takes on a new dimension with a store of
sounds registered in the city.
The visual material in 3D draws on the latest experimental technology
developed in the Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany. De Nijs
is the first artist to make use of this technology, which makes it possible
to combine cinematographic quality with interactive graphics.
Students from the Master Course in Communication Design at ISIA, Florence
assisted De Nijs in the creation of the project.
The work Exploded Views - Remapping Firenze was made especially
for the CCCS. It’s the first of a series of works by leading international
artists who have been invited to Florence to create site-specific
works that reflect the diverse realities of this city.
Marnix de Nijs is based in Rotterdam. He is engaged in exploring the dynamics
between the human body, machines and other technology. Trained as a sculptor,
de Nijs is now best known for his interactive machines which play with
the perception and control of sounds and images. He has gained international
recognition as one of the leading exponents of interactive sculpture.
The Marnix de Nijs project Exploded Views -
Remapping Firenze, presented in collaboration with Fabbrica Europa,
is sponsored by the Royal Netherlands Embassy and is part of “Olandiamo?-
the Cultural Festival celebrating 50 years of the Dutch Institute of Art
History in Florence”. |
