2006:Interventions

Translucid View

Arnoud Schuurman

The project Translucid view consist of photographic interventions in a series of so called ‘muppies’, where each individual muppi will be loaded with the image of the immediate environment behind it. The interventions will be located in the area of the Paseo de la Castellana, Paseo de Recoletos and Paseo del Prado.

The interventions will be framed views, with just a slight distinction from reality in a subtle way. They allow users of public space to engage as a participant giving them the possibility to observe the change of reality with the work in time.

People that frequent the environment of the interventions more than once will notice these changes. The conditions such as light and weather on the moment when the photo was taken will remain the same, while the surrounding will change with the time of the day and the given weather.

‘Public space is a given thing; we wander through it, we make it our own and witness it change with time’.

The muppi (Mobilier Urbain pour Publicité et Information; advertisment stands in public space) as an object is originally there to confront the public with information and illusions of things that do not exist in street life. The commercial use of these objects makes them a dominant factor over the rest of public space.

Because posters are changed frequently, we never get the chance to look at the posters long enough to get the notion “we’ve seen it.” So our eyes in public space keep on being eagerly pulled to what we have not seen before.

The notion that this intervention will not be an advertisement might sparkle people to get to know what it is, for it will not be easily identifiable as art at first sight.