At first sight, The Unbearable Presence of Roots is a classic video installation. Large screens display scenes that seem to cast directly back to the heyday of melodrama: deathbed scenes illuminated in suitably sentimental light, with the last gasping declarations of love or confessions. But gradually, a disturbing element seeps into the installation, causing actors to lose their role. They are overcome by existential anxieties, and through their behaviour disrupt the conventions of film. 'Reality' makes way for an anarchic situation in which the viewer can no longer rely on the general rules of film language. What was sincere, touching and absorbing at first, now seems manipulative, out of place and deceitful.
The installation is a reflection on how we look at art and film. Art history influences the making of visual arts in complex ways, which determine what the viewer expects to see. Maimon combines a classic approach to lighting, camera work and acting with kitsch hyper-reality, thus engaging the viewer in an alienating and surrealistic experience.
Nieuwe Zijds Voorburgwal 240
Open from Thursday 22.09.2011 from 20.30
