videocity.bs 2016 will host a special premiere screening of his most current video entitled “Coast to Coast” which was completed in 2016. Like many of his videos, it is broadly based on an examination of the theme of space. Although it came about independently and was first intended for an interior art space, it is fascinating to witness how the scale and the public domain have posed a greater challenge to the work: What influence does the effervescent life of a trade square bustling with pedestrians, the trams crossing and the motorcars driving by, as well as the architecture of the buildings opposite, have on the autonomous composition of the artist? What is the impact of this presentational format?
About the Basel trade square and the cooperation between the Congress Center Basel, Pro Innerstadt Basel and the curator
The Messeplatz Trade Square in Basel together with the Messehalle exhibition site and the “Eye towards heaven” designed by Herzog & de Meuron is a very special place: As well as being a junction for the Basel traffic and for people from near and far, for cultures, products, innovations and ideas. It is a “place of lively exchange”, for presenting things, for trying them out, for observing, for learning, for the transfer of knowledge. It is a dynamic place. New things can be tested and decisions made, whose relevance will become apparent in the future and sometimes worldwide”. (Jonas Scharf, Managing Director Congress Center Basel) Over the last three years the eboard of the Congress Center on Messeplatz Trade Square has taken on a special role in the context of the video parcours through the city centre. It provided a marking point visible from afar, and the starting point for the parcours, which proceeded from here into the city centre. The artistic interventions on the eboard which have taken place within the context of videocity.bs, always thematised the peculiarities of the site. And this is why the partners in cooperation decided to further build upon the knowledge they have won with a special screening, which also underlines their bridging function.
