Patrícia J. Reis: Penetrating the black box

Opening: Tue, May 24, 19:00
Venue: ARTISTIC BOKEH, Electric Avenue
Admission free

As part of Coded Cultures 2016, Portuguese artist Patrícia J. Reis presents 'Penetrating the black box'. The installation proposes the photographic apparatus as a "black box" and as a metaphor to reflect upon the relation between the private and public space of the image. Inspired by Vilém Flusser's writings on photography, the artist employs his concepts of faith and magic, event and happening, towards the "coded cameras", questioning the existence of the political space of the digital image. In the installation Penetrating the black box, Reis creates a "scene" consisting of a mechanical apparatus that is programmed in order to automatically trigger two photo digital cameras (at different moments) inside a black box. The output image from the cameras is transmitted in real-time onto two monitors.

The mechanical apparatus with two long arms penetrates the black box in a slowly programed gesture, accomplishing the artist's politically based decision to trigger the cameras or take photographs. On the other hand, the cameras that happen to be inside the black box in a specific position receive this command by chance, turning the previous event into a happening or a digital image. By displacing the camera's point of view from the private and occult space of the black box to the private but visible space of the monitors, the viewer becomes a photographer, incorporating the camera's point of view and completing the closed-circuit installation.

Patrícia J. Reis’ artist practice pursues new ways of interaction and sensorial engagement with the public in the interdisciplinary field of art, science and technology by employing aesthetic strategies of demystification and deconstruction. Reis is currently researching on interactive haptic visuality in the field of Media Art with a fellowship from the National Science Technology Foundation of Portugal. Since 2012, Reis has been based in Vienna and is a member of Mz Baltazar’s Laboratory – a feminist hackerspace.

Artistic Bokeh is an initiative of the Research Institute for Arts & Technology (RIAT). In its exhibition program, Artistic Bokeh qualitatively explores, maps and extends the electrosphere through the parameters of emerging artistic research and development.

<link http: artisticbokeh.com _blank>artisticbokeh.com

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Festival website: <link http: codedcultures.com _blank>codedcultures.com
Artist’s website: <link http: www.patriciajreis.com>www.patriciajreis.com