“Departure Room”; Sign, Shelves, Shoes, Glass jars, Tinted water, Photo transparencies, Video camera, Monitor, Motion detector, Chair and Lights; 15’W x 20’L x 10’H
This temporary installation was installed on a pier at an old army fort. The entire piece was set up to appear closer to life than art. There was a sign hanging outside the door which read “Departure Room”. All the walls and windows were entirely covered by shelving. The shelves against the walls held pairs of second hand shoes. The window shelves held glass jars filled with bluish tinted water, each of which also contained a photo transparency of a found portrait shot.
In addition, a closed circuit video system ( a camera and a monitor) was set up in front of a chair; every time a viewer walked in front of the set up, a motion detector would trigger the camera and monitor on. This interactive element was, in a sense, an invitation for the viewer to participate by sitting down in the chair; at which time their portrait would appear on the monitor (the contemporary replacement of the photos in the jars ) and any sound or movement would be recorded. The system would remain on for one minute, and then shut off, until it detected another movement.