JULIA BURNS
 
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Drift
Interactive Video Installation

Upcoming exhibition at beta_space, The Powerhouse Museum
December 2008

A man and a woman sleep on an unmade bed.  They lie next to each other, drifting between states of sleep and consciousness in the early hours of the morning. 

The viewer in the gallery encounters this couple in their bedroom, and can see the view from the couple’s bedroom window projected on an adjacent wall.  The viewer’s presence disturbs the couple and wakes the male partner.  Despite all attempts he cannot fall asleep and is plagued by thoughts of the next day.

To escape his waking reality, the man enters a dream sequence in which he appears tormented by his inability to sleep. His anguish is accompanied by musical composition and colour. He travels between screens searching for sleep.

Eventually his partner wakes and calms him, lulling him into a restful slumber once again.

Background

For this piece, I have pulled from both intimate and global experiences to connect with the viewer.  This work allows the viewer to act as a voyeur as they watch the personal lives of others and are led to reflect on their own. 

The placement of three surrounding projections on screens and real objects creates an immersive experience and should help to enhance the ‘presence’ of the characters in the real space. Although the interaction of the viewer is minimal, it is enough for them to disrupt the flow of the fictional characters’ lives and thus play a part in the narrative.