Disappearance

A large television monitor mounted on a forklift truck shows a larger-than-life virtual ballerina performing pirouettes. As the forklift truck moves the monitor up and down, the ballerina is shown from head to toe. As it rotates, the ballerina also appears to rotate. The TV monitor is like a window that gradually reveals the ballerina, who whirls on the same axis as the rotating forklift truck. A small rotating ballerina figure can also be seen in the engine compartment of the forklift truck, in front of which a video camera moves up and down; the mechanism is synchronised with the movement of the forklift truck and provides the video image of the ballerina. »Disappearance« awakens the faded memory of little ballerinas pirouetting on music boxes. These toys are part of the early history of robotics.