Unterwerk (2000)

• 71%
• 2000

Superimposed horizontal and vertical patterns in rich, dark colours flow across the screen at pleasantly slow tempos. In contrast to the video's meditative effect, these abstractly floating visual sensations were created with footage showing speed. Krzeczek obtained the effect of blurriness caused by movement by shooting everything from moving subway trains. As a result, the digital video camera's eye was not able to produce sharp images. In Unterwerk, Paul Virilio's "nihilism of speed" is stylized into a formal and aesthetic event. Abstraction is achieved by intentionally exceeding the limits of what can be filmed (or perceived). While the many-layered combinations of screens and superimpositions constantly produce new visual patterns, the soundtrack is a monotone loop. This noise ­ an unaltered sample of the rhythmic sound produced by a ventilation system ­ takes on musical qualities through constant repetition. After being forced to listen to this "acoustic waste material" more closely, one seems to notice minimal variations. However, they are not on the tape and result solely from the situation in which they are heard. Set pieces from the real urban environment are transformed into a clearly structured abstract scenario which, in addition to its convincing aesthetic quality, offers a striking reflection on everyday patterns of perception.