Überholspur
(2007)

--- Präsentationshinweise  DE:

Der  Videoparcour fand vom 20.05 bis zum 21.06. 2015  zwischen 9 bis 24 Uhr statt. videocity.bs hat neue Wege des  Miteinanders von Kultur und Geschäftswelt erschlossen. 16 Geschäfte und kulturelle Institutionen öffnen für 27  Videokünstler*innen  ihre Schaufenster, Hallen  oder elektronischen Werbetafeln. Sie bilden einen Parcours zwischen Messeplatz, Marktplatz,  Aeschenvorstadt  und St. Jakobsstadion. Die Videos lassen den Alltag in neuem Licht erscheinen und umgekehrt der Alltag die Videos. videovity.bs wird einen Monat lang  zum immateriellen Bestandteil der Stadt und regt zu unerwarteten  Begegnungen an.

Es gab dabei folgende Stadtionen:  Congress Center Basel/eBoard, Kulturbüro Basel, Elektrohaus Boner, Basler Lädeli, GLOBUS, Banque CIC (Suisse) AG, Claudia Güdel, Confiserie Bachmann, Nationale Suisse, Der Teufelhof Basel, Stadtcasino,  Theater Basel, Basler Kantonalbank, Kunsthaus  Baselland, und St. Jakobsturm

Die teilnehmenden Künstler*innen waren: Dominik Stauch, Pipilotti Rist, Ursula Palla, Yves Netzhammer, Franziska Megert, Christian Jankowski, Tom Huber, Michael Spahr, HEAD, Mathis Vass, Jeannette Ehlers, Diana Dodson, Hildegard Spielhofer, Thomas Kneubühler, Manuel Szabo.  

--- Presentation notes EN: 

The Videoparcour took place from 20.05 to 21.06.2015 between 9 a.m. and midnight. videocity.bs has opened up new ways of interaction between culture and the business world. 16 shops and cultural institutions open their shop windows, halls or electronic billboards for 27 video artists. They form a parcour between Messeplatz, Marktplatz, Aeschenvorstadt and St. Jakobsstadion. The videos present everyday life in a new light and vice versa. For one month videocity.bs becomes an immaterial part of the city and encourages unexpected encounters.

The following institutions were part in the project:  Congress Center Basel/eBoard, Kulturbüro Basel, Elektrohaus Boner, Basler Lädeli, GLOBUS, Banque CIC (Suisse) AG, Claudia Güdel, Confiserie Bachmann, Nationale Suisse, Der Teufelhof Basel, Stadtcasino, Theater Basel, Basler Kantonalbank, Kunsthaus Baselland, St. Jakobsturm. 

The participating artists were: Dominik Stauch, Pipilotti Rist, Ursula Palla, Yves Netzhammer, Franziska Megert, Christian Jankowski, Tom Huber, Michael Spahr, HEAD, Mathis Vass, Jeannette Ehlers, Diana Dodson, Hildegard Spielhofer, Thomas Kneubühler, Manuel Szabo.    

In this frame by frame animation, Mathis Vass shows toy models of fire trucks as the protagonists of the piece, continuall driving from left to right. All the while the background moves along with the models and creates the impression that the viewer is driving beside them. The effect is that of the fire tricks driving at high speeds overtaking the viewer in an endless stream. Hence the title "Überholspur", the German word for „fast lane“. Despite the playful attitude with a touch of irony Vass creates a sense of urgency the cause of which is never seen. The background appears alive due to small figures, white cuboids with letters, numbers and symbols printed on them which rapidly shift position as the animation continues. It is unknown what these figures represent, whether they are symbolic for human figures, the passing urban landscape, or an abstract expressen for sounds and voices.

The flashing blue light of the fire trucks are a particularly conspicuous element of the animation. They are created by holes in the film, the blue light rays are lines Vass scraped and drew into the material. What in other contexts would be seen as damage to the video is used intenionally as part of artistic expression. The material and texture of the film becomes central to the piece.

Tyrone Richards

https://www.mathisvass.ch