Oscarland
Brazil - Netherlands, 2006-2007 / video installation and Polaroid photos / SD-video, 4:3, colour, mute / variable durations
Oscarland shows buildings of the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer in Brasilia, Niteroi, São Paulo and Belo Horizonte. The style of Niemeyers architecture is modernistic, utopian and futuristic. With his work Niemeyer defined the looks of Brazilian cities. This is best visible in Brasilia, an utopian city which was built from scratch on a deserted plateau at the end of the 50’s.
In Oscarland Niemeyer's buildings are captured in Polaroid photos. The development of the Polaroids was filmed on video. In doing so Oscarland is a work about becoming; present, past and future blend together. Form and content affect each other in the work. The video reflects on the confidence in the future of the past: Polaroids, an invention from the year 1949, were as futuristic as the buildings from Niemeyer at the time.
To emphasise the science fiction aspect all situations are filmed without people present. As if the buildings just landed out of space.
Screenings and exhibitions:
2010-2012 CASZuidas Amsterdam, curator Jan Schuijren
2010 Greylight, Hoensbroek, curator Wouter Huis
2009
Crane Arts, Philadelphia, USA
2008
Netherlands Architecture institute, Rotterdam, curator Saskia van Stein
2007
Group show S5 with Joost Conijn, Teun Voeten, Remy Jungerman, Douglas Gordon/Philippe Parreno, Chris Keulemans, Julian Scaff, Su Tomesen. Museum De Lakenhal Leiden, curated by Nicole Roepers and Tanja Elstgeest
2007
Labland party, BG, Amsterdam
2007
On the road, De Veemvloer Amsterdam, curator Radek Waanja
2007 Solo exhibition in Hoogt 4, Filmtheatre 't Hoogt Utrecht, curator Kostana Banovic