7th Havana Biennial -  Home November 2000 - January 2001Home
Graciela Sacco - Statement
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Written down by Pat Binder and Gerhard Haupt, based on an interview with the artist.

My work articulates itself in a double space: that of the exterior, that of the street, that of the outside with its own laws; and that of the interior, that of the institution, that of the intimate. From this arise my punctuations in urban space, the helio-montages, the photographic shadows thrown onto the walls.

"Shadows of the South and the North" deals with the theme of borders. In a conceptual respect, the work aims at posing questions about which space is one's own and which space belongs to someone else; who is who in the contemporary social environment?

In a dark room I installed "glances" (photo-serigraphs printed on acrylic) which can only be seen when illuminated with a flashlight hanging from a long cable in the center of the room. In this work the spectator is the actor. He is responsible for what he sees, because sight requires lighting. He who illuminates thereby eliminates a fragment of darkness, he attacks the shadows.

In general, I have appropriated the images I use for my work from the mass media (newspapers, magazines). In this case, the transparent photo on the glass of the lamp, which is projected onto the wall when switched on, is a revolver aimed at oneself. This results in everything that one sees in the room being overshadowed by a threatening weapon - a constant defense against a continual attack.

In the external space I have installed images of the same threatening pistol. For me it also has to do with clearly showing the aggression in today's cities.

Beyond that, this work has to do with a visual interference that I realized at the borders in regions of conflict a few months ago, like in the Middle East. Transparent photos on acrylic projected images of eyes onto certain "untouchable" walls when the sun shined through them. The shadow is allowed to touch what is actually forbidden.

Works of art do not offer answers, they perhaps pose questions. It would be interesting to think about what they demand from us.

(Translated from the German version by Rebeccah Blum)


© Interview, translation, fotos:
Gerhard Haupt & Pat Binder,
Universes in Universe
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Sacco - 1 Tour

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