Works
by Themes
by Medium
Transit
2009
Photography, digital collage, diasec
31.5 cm x 63 cm/ 12.4” x 24.8
Edition of 1
Transit is a visualization of perceptions of time and space while traveling on the urban highway. It ties directly to the Continuum series. However, while Continuum explores perceptions of movement on a train journey which are meditative and relaxing to the eye, in Transit this linear sense of continuity is no longer given.
On a highway travelers move forward in their own felt ‘inherent time’ (Eigenzeit). One passes, gets passed, changes lanes and gets stuck in traffic, jammed. The perception of one’s surroundings, during this time, becomes fragmented. The “optical flow” is interrupted and the perception of one’s surroundings, during this time, becomes fragmented. It is the active movement through time and space that causes cuts in our perception. Yet, on a subconscious level there is still a contemplative movement inherent to this situation of being in a personal vacuum while still joining the flow and maneuvering carefully to not disrupt it. The perception is secondary, contemplation is triggered by the back and forth of the flow. To visualize these cuts, I decided to photograph by night, capturing the lights which are the human traces we leave at night.
The digital photographs are based on physical collages I made from the photographic material I worked with. I shot it on the Autobahn and the highways between Germany and Romania. An annual route, a connection between homes, the East and the West.