Stefano Scheda: Meteo 2004, 2004 (Opening)

In six large video projections, which will fill the ground floor of the blue ZKM_Cube in its entire width and which will be visible both from the outside as well as from within, pulsating bodies of men and women on the beach will appear glistening in the sunlight. They hold up round mirrors in front of the upper parts of their bodies which, rather irritatingly, break the sunlight. At the same time, the viewer is agitated by the sound backdrop issuing from a space-capsule, from which initial spoken instructions then pass over into the clattering sound of machine gun fire. Although the bathers are not hit by the shots, the work induces in the viewers a sense of utmost irritation. The title »Meteo 2004« points to a political climate at a time of pervasive threat by terrorist acts. Here, the shots, not yet faded from perception mix with the daily evening news and the subsequent weather report (ital.: »il meteo«) and forecasts of sunny bathing pleasures on the beach.

By being placed on the front side of the ZKM_Subspace, each evening at 10:00 pm »Meteo 2004« breaks through the closeness and the protection of the museum’s walls. The naked bathers step out on to the forecourt at eye level and up to the viewers, thus provoking a direct examination of everyday terror in sunny holiday countries as presented by the media.

The Italian media artist Stefano Scheda (*1957) is lecturer at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna and is much discussed at international biennales and exhibitions.