Sebastian Lübeck’s »Contemporallye« is actually just a studio, yet due to a massive surplus of space, he decided to organize exhibitions for contemporary artists there, taking place on a regular basis. In only a short time he had started drawing supra-regional attention. Together with Sebastian Giussani, it was our privilege to create the exhibition for the final evening in the old tinsmithery. Further down the line, the concept is supposed to be used for vacancies abroad.
The title, »ECTV«, is an acronym, which derives from the words »Embedded Correspondent« and »Closed Circuit Television« (CCTV). The first name stands for a contemporary and very popular sort of voyeurism that knows no boundaries, even when it comes to war. The second focuses on the surveillance state, which has become increasingly targeted by criticism nowadays.
While on the one hand we denounce that which was initially meant for our safety, because it restricts our privacy, we, on the other hand, use a very similar technology when we wish to be entertained.
On the night of the public viewing a specially created spatial sculpture, by Sebastian Giussani, served as the »theatre of war« for a performance by four actors and their paintball guns, which took place during the course of the evening. Our work replaced the common journalist with automated technology, and placed part of the control in the hands of the visitor generating abstract and documentary, yet visually appealing live pictures of the »colour war«.
The 16 channel video installation was supplied with images by twelfe stationary security cameras and four WiFi-cameras. By pushing a red button the visitor was able to switch between the actors.
Developed in cooperation with Sebastian Giussani
