Alexandre Estrela

Um homem entre quatro paredes, 2008

Video projection, colour, mono sound  / Endless. Ed.: 1/3

Five dots tattooed on the forehand, a common identifier of Portuguese ex-convicts, represent a man caged within four walls. The prisoner —the central dot— is framed by four similar dots —the four walls of a cell—. As in Kanizsa’s optical illusion, the lines of the walls are virtual and can only be guessed at from the four corners.

Um Homem Entre Quatro Paredes is a video installation in which an animated photo of one of these tattoos is projected in an enclosed space. Each tattooed dot is scaled to fit the corners of the existing projection wall. In the animation, the image advances from a vanishing point to the surface. As the dots touch the corners, a powerful impact sound is heard. As the animation grows faster, the sound becomes more violent, constant and the illusion of an immersive space that encloses the viewer is attained. The unleashed low frequencies interfere dangerously with the structure of the building forcing the viewer to leave the room.