Kryzystof Wodiczko is a projection artist who works mostly in public space. He believes that architecture and monuments need to have meaning brought back to them in order to remind the public that they were built to represent something. Historic sites are turning into decorations for aesthetic purposes only and this needs to change. In his book ‘Critical Vehicles: Writings, Projects, Interviews’, Wodiczko says “Not to speak through the city monuments is to abandon them and to abandon ourselves losing both a sense of history and the present.” (Wodiczko,1999) This quote made me evaluate just how important the site really is when developing this kind of performance. Wodiczkos work is so anchored in the site, that it gives it a real poignance.

One of his pieces that really struck a chord with me was his projections on the Astor Building in Manhattan. After the top half of this huge building had been renovated, it remained empty and unused due to a development failure. This meant during a time of rising homelessness, a large newly renovated tower block stood empty and this seemed to strike a chord with Wodiczko who found it ‘shocking ‘ and ‘very dramatic’ (Wodiczko, 1999)  He projected padlocks and chains on the building to symbolise the fact that people were shut out and forced to live on the streets. The primary function of buildings for human beings is shelter so it seems unbelievable that this space remains empty and locked up.

The concept of projection does appeal to me, but there may be issues with projection in the Usher Gallery due to lack of wall space. However Wodiczko’s political defiance and desire to highlight some real weaknesses and faults in how society is run is very appealing to me. When developing our piece further, it is essential to remember the architecture of the site and use it to our advantage.

Picture from : http://www.pbs.org/art21/images/krzysztof-wodiczko/the-tijuana-projection-2001-3

Reference: Wodiczko, K. (1999). Critical vehicles. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.