Public performance - Halloween projections
I interpreted the brief as introducing an element of spectacle to a public space through some kind of technological means. I chose to turn the windows of my apartment, facing Second Ave., into a screen, and project video loops more-or-less themed for Halloween and the Mexican Day of the Dead.
Per Mark Coniglio's (Troika Ranch) recommendation and much-appreciated donation, I used large sheets of wax paper to cover my windows from the inside. Using a projector and portable media player, I showed a couple of video loops. The first, for Halloween, used various psychedelic clips of eyes in close-up, interspersed with clips of neon signs from Tokyo, also in close-up, and with matching colors. The second clip, for the Day of the Dead, is composed of footage and photomontage from a trip I made to Mexico in 2005.
There was a Day of the Dead celebration at the church across the street, so I expected that there might be an audience! This turned out to be the case...
Technically, the projections worked fine, they were clear and bright, and visible from as far away as 3rd Ave. and 9th St. However, the framing elements of the window were a bit obstrusive, and in future, it might make sense to edit the video with "panes" to use the window as a more integrated part of the video.
I got a number of reactions from passers-by while filming the project from the outside. Everyone immediately assumed that I was responsible for the projections, since I was documenting them from outside. In general, comments were positive and appreciative, with a few people patiently sitting through the entire 23 minute loop on the Day of the Dead.
The two elements most commented on were the images of the giant eye, and of the Mexican idols set against fiery background. These were by far the most dramatic images, and the ones that attracted people's attention most effectively. In the case of the fiery background, this attention came at a price: the flame effects were so real, that people were genuinely alarmed. I had thought of this, and tried to make sure that there were not so many sequences of only fire. However, even a second or so was enough to startle people.
The eyeball also attracted a lot of attention, since it is a very simple graphic image that can be easily recognized even at a small size.
Once engaged, people did view the projections for quite a while. Reaction from the people running the Day of the Dead altar was also very positive.