Jet

This video's exhilarating dynamism results from a precisely composed interplay of color and form, which structures the viewer`s perception of it significantly. Michaela Schwentner's work method closely resembles that of electroacoustic sound artists Radian who employ a variety of painterly elements which are allowed to interact, overlap or contrast. Vertical and horizontal lines are arranged asymmetrically to resemble a grid over a diffuse reality, which shifts up or down along with the lines, appears to move past or into the fore- or background or dissolves, parts of it disappearing completely. The view into the depth of the space is blocked repeatedly, the view of the real world remains fuzzy and fragmentary. The grainy black-and-white of this fleeting reality, reminiscent of photographs or archival film footage, passes at a speed which precludes registering it in its entirety; solely subjective assembly is possible. Variously sized orange dots and squares employed minimalistically are in harmony with musical punctuation, creating a picturesque moment. The result is counterpoint, not only with regard to colour, to the otherwise cool shades of the images moving past, but also spatial. While the multiple layers suggest depth, the dots remain on the surface. They appear and disappear, then become permeable and lay circular colour filters over the images behind them. The journey through this landscape of sound and image passes quickly, apparently stopping only when the music is extremely concentrated. It stops in fact when the viewer is gently brought back to earth by landscape scenes at the conclusion.

(Christa Benzer)