Gisela Winkelhöfer
Mice in Prag 2009
Stephan Reusse (D) is projecting his light installation called Mice onto the façade of the academy at the Dušní near to the Spanish synagogue from the 7th of January to the 30th of June, daily from 8 p.m. until 1 a.m.
Reusse’s work is dealing with perception and remembrance. This installation is focusing at mice which are taking over the building during night time. A laser is projecting traces of mice movements and their silhouettes onto the walls. The schematic reproduction of the animals is based on the analysis of infrared video recordings of real mice. The patterns of movements and forms are the basis for a real time as well as animated film.
Naturally hectic, anxiously hesitant and restless movements characterize this light show whilst representing human every day life. The mice in their non physical presence are for the artist a metaphor for elusiveness. One moment the spectator thinks to see the mice, yet almost immediately they turn into a mere remembrance. By drawing on our experience remembrance is building up the image of mice, even though one cannot see them, as the full image does not exist. A few scattered traces and lines make up that image, even though they only draw on the reminiscent level of our reality in an abstract, scheme like way.
Many of his works aim to achieve a technical transformation which is designed to stimulate the imagination of the spectator. The image arises within the spectator. By drawing on past experiences the spectator is the one putting the abstract lines together to a meaningful image.