2011
HD image ratio 1:2 | Interactive Animation | Sound 9'18"

What are the mechanisms of revolutions, what are the images remaining in our memory?

What starts as an single movement, a small action becomes a mass movement; a revolution overthrowing the existing power, to install a new one.
One absolute, one truth replacing another.

Revolutions makes references to some famous images of revolutions – images as signifiers of historical moments: e.g.
Eugene Delacroix’s painting “Liberty leading the people”, 1830 French Revolution; Lenin addressing the mass – October Revolution, 1917; Iraq – the image of the fall of a Saddam Hussein statue, 2003; Tiananmen square China- Goddess of Liberty statue, 1989; Tiananmen square China – one student in-front of a row of tanks, 1989; the fall of the Berlin Wall, 1989; Prague Spring, Soviet tank entering city of Prague, 1968

Revolutions is an animation in three episodes.

Revolutions Episode 1: Revolution succeeds.
The authority is being over thrown; a new truth is installed. The existing power is replaced by the new one. The old symbols are ovderthrown, replaced by new symbols. Historical reference: any ‘successful revolution’. Russian October Revolution 1917. Overthrowing the Qing Dynasty founding of the modern Republic of China. The fall of the Berlin Wall. Recently: Egypt 2011, etc..

Revolutions Episode 2: Revolution is being put down and crushed.
e.g.. 1989 Tiananmen Square; 1968 Prague Spring, Student Uprising Gwangju 1980.

Revolutions Episode 3: Revolution becomes a commodity, a tourist attraction, some nostalgia, separated from its political and social context. References: China and its re-vival of a Mao-cult. Revolution symbols as fashion accessories. Tourist posing in front of dictators and ‘war’ heroes. Revolutions separated from its original value and only as an item – as commodity.

Revolutions is a semi-interactive animation installation; where the audience is mirrored/back-projected into the animation sequence, they become part of the film, but cannot directly influence or interfere the narration of Revolutions. They participate, taking part and join in the mass uprising, or as a witness standing behind and observing, or as somebody following ones routine passing by and leaving the space, the installation.

Revolutions is a re-mastering of an older work by the artist; it is based on his piece ‘revolutions come and revolutions go’ from 2005.

Revolutions is based on and a reshooting of the work revolutions come and revolutions go, 2005. (‘red’ images bottom of page).

Revolutions was produced on the occasion of Augmenting the World, Taipei Digital Art Festival, Bopiliao, Taipei (TW) 2011; curated by Meiya Cheng.

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Revolutions >