Céleste Boursier-Mougenot's Videodrones at Paula Cooper Gallery

At the Paula Cooper Gallery in New York, Céleste Boursier-Mougenot's installation 'Videodrones' runs from January 11 to February 12, 2002, and uniquely converts visual motion into sound. Unlike the sound machines of the early 20th century, Boursier-Mougenot employs video cameras to record street activities, where light-blocking objects produce variations in audio. The installation includes five monitors: three positioned at a Tenth Avenue intersection display vehicle and pedestrian movements in reverse, creating a disruption in spatial continuity. Meanwhile, two other screens depict real-time happenings on a tranquil street, evoking a sense of endless motion. The resulting audio creates a calming ambient soundscape, although the connection between sound and visuals is not immediately obvious, integrating the location into the artwork.