Video:

Context:

Does the saying “the whole world is country” mean that everything is equal, or does it imply that we all feel disoriented in relation to something or someone? (Carlo Ginzburg, Occhiacci di Legno. Dieci Riflessioni sulla distanza, 1988)

The history of World Expos dates back to the late 19th century and is deeply intertwined with colonialism and the nationalist industrialization of Western countries. These exhibitions served as platforms for diplomatic encounters, allowing Western nations to gain public support for their trade activities while showcasing technological advancements and industrial progress resulting from colonialism. Some of these international gatherings also exhibited native populations in human zoos or celebrated colonial pride, as seen in the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.

Over time, the focus of World Expos shifted, starting to address contemporary economic and social challenges, as well as new forms of national sensationalism. These events provide opportunities for trade and representations of national power. International diplomacy interweaves tourism within transitory amusement parks, affecting the urban landscape with their improvised logic. For instance, Hannover's Expo site from 2000 has long been a relic, while more recently in Milan, rent prices skyrocketed after urban resettling to host the series in 2016.

In 2022, after a two-year delay due to the pandemic, the World Expo made its debut in the Middle East, specifically in the Emirate of Dubai. With the theme „Connecting minds, creating the future,“ Dubai's Expo aimed to tackle sustainable strategies to enhance transportation infrastructure and human mobility.

The pavilions of 192 countries dealt with issues such as climate change, economic crisis, and social disparity by staging immersive experiences in a theme hub of 400 hectares built in the middle of the desert at the outskirts of the city. The event has been under the lens of international press agencies for disrespecting construction and care workers' rights, while many humanitarian groups have denounced the contextual setting of these events happening in 2022 in the Middle East (COP 27 in Sharm el Sheikh, World Cup in Qatar), arguing that there couldn't be climate justice without respecting human rights.

The European Parliament called for a boycott of Expo in September 2021 over these concerns. Despite these denunciations, the European Union participated officially in the event. Over 200,000 workers were employed for the construction, most of them migrating from Africa and South Asia, relying on the UAE's labor sponsorship system through shady chains of foreign subcontractors.* Several companies have allegedly coerced workers into signing untranslated documents, withholding their passports, and not providing adequate working conditions, resulting in 7 people dying during the construction phase.*

*Sources:

AP News - Dubai Expo 2020 offers conflicting figures on worker death (2022)

Al Jazeera - New report highlights labour rights abuses at Dubai’s Expo 2020 (2022)

Al Jazeera - Dubai Expo: Chance for change in Middle East and North Africa  (2022)

Business and Human Rights Resource Centre - European Parliament votes to boycott Dubai Expo due over human rights concerns (2021)

Inspiration and visual references:

In exploring the symbolic power of Plato's myth, I draw a parallel between Atlantis' legendary topography and utopian vision with Dubai's World's Islands, a monumental project currently facing collapse underwater due to structural issues caused by sea currents. The architectural design of the World Expo site and Dubai's „Atlantis,“ the world's biggest hotel, mirrors the concentric layout and map of the Atlantis empire as envisioned by Plato and depicted in various visualizations throughout history. This connection creates a thread that unites ancient legends and future horizons in the context of urban design, inviting viewers to contemplate the cyclical nature of human endeavors and their transcendence through grand architectural ambitions. The collapse of the World's Islands project serves as a poignant reminder of the mythical sinking of Atlantis, prompting reflection on the impermanence of monumental creations and the enduring human fascination with lost civilizations.

The work draws inspiration from movies by Harun Farocki - „Die Schöpfer der Einkaufswelten“ (2001) and „Ein Tag im Leben der Endverbraucher“ (1993) - which explore the consumerist gaze through advertising and strategic topography for the commodification of urban spatialities, such as those found in malls and shopping centers. Additionally, the videography style and poetics of Stéphane Degoutin and Gwenola Wagon in their films „World Brain,“ „Virusland,“ and „Welcome to Erewhon“ have influenced the use of various footage materials in the documentation practice, incorporating videos from the internet to expand the formal and informal representation of Dubai's Expo.

Furthermore, the documentary „D.I.A.L. History“ by Johan Grimonprez provided insights into the dreamy aesthetics surrounding travel, tourism, and aviation. This film served as an influential source in conveying surreality and the attempt to create a cosmopolitan atmosphere through fast editing and the convergence of different languages via the voice-over. The use of a poem, repeated like a litany in various languages I speak, emerges through two soundtracks accompanying the film. These soundtracks, composed by Aïna Spencer, are remake experiments inspired by the music of the film „Koyaanisqatsi“ (1992) by Geoffrey Reggio, which also played a significant role in shaping the video work. The combination of these cinematic inspirations contributes to the unique and thought-provoking experience of the video installation, enriching the exploration of themes related to consumerism, urbanism, and the elusive reality of Dubai's Expo.

Voice-Over text:

Ti ho visto altrove Atlantide e forse ti ho trovato qui

confinée à la mer tes iles gisent à l’horizont construites à moitié elles forment les ruines d’un monde passager éternelle fiction d’un progrès qui recule en arrière

Excuse us while improve your view, Atlantis but we can’t see you anymore time and distance dissolved your grounds are sinking your water bloomed and now recedes all lives streaming down together

Atlantide dove sei? nicht mehr da in einem einzigen Tag bist du untergegangen nun fließen die Bilder weg und zeigen uns deine Abwesenheit.

Installation:

As a two-channel video installation, I present two monitors placed side by side, facing two blue flight seats. These seats were acquired from a company based in the periphery of Berlin, specializing in flight interiors. They present some minor imperfections and no longer comply with technical flight norm regulations, making them available at a cheap price. This reflects the stringent norms of standardization for tooling and technical replacement within the flight industry and technical assembly. Interestingly, much of the technical equipment from the 70's used in Western flight companies is now repurposed for the Global South market, providing affordable materials for local transport infrastructure. The concept of obsolescence is an inherent parameter and integral condition for Western technical innovation.

To create the installation, I blocked the light flight seats with large cement bricks and used what appears to be a fishing net found on the street to securely anchor them in place. I isolated one brick on the floor and attached a flight parachute (also found on the web and given away) from the ceiling to the ground. This setup aims to convey my felt experience throughout my family trip to Dubai, capturing a petrified condition of passive spectatorship while witnessing a fast-paced world experience symbolized by the fastened seat belts, facing a perpetual feeling of spectacle. Within this work, I also try to reflect on a personal experience, recalling my childhood dreams of visiting my parents' travel agency, a family business that has not withstood digitization. Viewers immerse themselves in the virtual representations of an elusive and accidental external reality, as if they were in the depressurized flight cabin, suspended in an unreal empty spacetime. The juxtaposition of what now looks like vintage flight seats - featuring even ashtrays on the arm holders - with modern video technology and imagery accentuates the themes of time, transformation, and the interconnectedness of global mobility.

Excuse Us While We Improve Your View Atlantis was exhibited in the conference „Un-reale Interaktionsräume“ funded by the program „Digital Realities“ by ZEM, in November 2022 at the FH Potsdam. It was part of a small exhibition I curated featuring works by Till Rückwarts (Orbital Mirage) and Lynn Klemmer (L.I.S.A. Act 1).

Link to the conference's website:

unreal-digital.net