Anri Sala's 'Now I see' film installation at Art Institute of Chicago explores perception and politics
Anri Sala's 35mm film 'Now I See' was showcased at the Art Institute of Chicago from October 12, 2004, to January 30, 2005. This nine-minute piece features the Icelandic band Trabant performing in Reykjavik, interrupted by a balloon shaped like a dog. Originally trained as a painter in Albania and currently residing in Berlin, Sala blends explorations of color with structuralist studies of language and sound. The film's remixed soundtrack creates a disconnection between the visuals and audio, prompting viewers to reconsider their perception of reality. The performance concludes with the lead singer fainting during 'Amazing Grace,' leaving 'I see' unperformed. The band's name alludes to the East German Trabant car, hinting at political themes, similar to Sala's previous works that also address disjunction and political trauma.
Key facts
- Anri Sala's 'Now I see' was exhibited at Art Institute of Chicago from 12 October 2004 to 30 January 2005
- The nine-minute 35mm film was commissioned specifically by the Art Institute
- The work features Icelandic band Trabant performing at Klink and Bank venue in Reykjavik
- A dog-shaped balloon disrupts the performance, shifting viewer attention from music to visual object
- Sala trained as a painter in Albania before studying film in France and is now based in Berlin
- The film creates disjuncture between image and sound through remixed electronic arrangements
- Political references include the band name 'Trabant' referencing East German Cold War cars
- Earlier works like 'Mixed Behavior' and 'Intervista–Finding the Words' explore similar themes of perception and politics
Entities
Artists
- Anri Sala
- John Cage
- Louis Althusser
Institutions
- Art Institute of Chicago
- ARTMargins Online
Locations
- Chicago
- United States
- Albania
- France
- Berlin
- Germany
- Reykjavik
- Iceland
- Tirana
- Senegal