The South African Artist, a regular at the Festival since the early 2000s, discusses the video he featured in the 2013 Southern Panoramas show, the idea for which came to him during stops along his constant train rides between France and Switzerland. At these stops, he noticed the cinematic qualities of some of the decoration, and the winding paths traversed by the compositions. He says he strives to work with the sophistication of cinema, which even the most unattentive of viewers can grasp. He opposes our incredible cleverness in reading symbols and visual signs, and the strong physical insecurity we feel in different aspects of our lives. Also regarding cinematic language, he questions the usual submission of all its aspects to the narrative, as if it would bring about redemption at the final moment when everything is solved. Contrary to this view, he believes each filmic element can be given autonomy. He also speaks on the changes that took place over the last editions of the Festival.
He comments on how the event’s format – formerly closer to a film festival, and now formatted as a visual arts show – changes the audience’s reception of the artworks.
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