Seen/Unseen
VIDEO ABOUT HUMAN CONNECTION, 2014
Alia Pialtos (US)
Seen/Unseen is a video projection that draws from human connection, amplifying the effects of the unconscious reactions we experience while engaging with others. It stems from a desire to visualise the gaze and to make visible the invisible sight lines between individuals.
In the piece, an oblong frame acts as a peephole or pupil that reveals a view of suspended threads which span across the frame. At first, the piece seems very abstract; the viewers are left to witness the curious movements of these hanging strings. Although the mechanisms that create the movements are not obvious at first, the delicate lines appear to be alive. Within the last few seconds of the video, a slow zoom reveals the source of the movement to the viewer. The use of the hair acts as a physical extension of the body and amplifies the effects of the unconscious reactions we experience while engaging with those to whom we feel closest.
Seen/Unseen is part of a series by the artist called Projections of Ourselves, a collection of works which offer suggestions for alternative ways of seeing our personal relationships. Beginning with a physiological process or psychological scenario, each piece aims to reimagine the way in which we understand our attachment to others.
BIO
Alia Pialtos is an American artist who explores ideas of connection, perception, and personal relationships through sculpture, installation, video installation, photography and performance. She has exhibited extensively within the United States at venues such as Hunter College in New York City; Glassell School of Art in Houston, Texas; The Clay Studio in Philadelphia; University of Colorado Art Museum; and the Kansas City Museum. In 2013, she received a grant through the Center for Craft, Creativity & Design in North Carolina to study connections between art and science. She is currently an Artist-in-Residence at Worcester Center for Crafts in Massachusetts.