Collaborative performance and installation, Scarlet Winter and Leyla Rees, 2009
Wooden frames, mirrors, canvas, video projection, spotlights, aerial rig and hoop
'The picture frame is a line of demarcation between the real and unreal... A frame can be a gateway between worlds. It can hold the secret to whether something is authentic or fake and stands as more than just a decorative boundary' Paul Hazelton, 'Post Historic Art' Artartart Issue 4, 2009
An octagonal structure comprised from framed glass panes, mirrors and canvases stands tall dominating its audience. Shadows projected onto the canvas frames suggest the presence of an internal performance. By looking through the glass frames the viewer catches fleeting glimpses of an aerialist bathed fragmentally and sporadically in spotlight.
Panopticon explores themes of stage, power, illusion and intimate spectacle. Simultaneously serving the roles of watch tower, prison and stage, Panopticon questions the balance of power between audience and performer. Drawing from Foucault's writing on imprisonment and the docile body, Panopticon challenges the traditional passive role of the audience, actively conditioning the viewer and seduces the viewer into becoming a part of the performance.
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