A site-specific, telekinetic haunting created with Deborah Stratman inspired by Andrei Tarkovsky's film "Stalker." Deborah and I transformed the gallery space into a traditional living room scenario. When users first enter they find nothing unusual then gradually strange things start to happen. The lights occasionally flicker strangely, sounds emanate from untraceable places and a glass slides across the table.
Materials:
Super directional loudspeaker.
Custom electronic lighting controls
Custom "ghost glass" mechatronics
Modified furniture
Video
Exhibited: "Ahbyezyana" VONZWECK Gallery, Chicago - Dec 2005/Jan 2006
Review
Vonzweck, the living room-turned-sometime gallery of Philip Von Zweck, is the perfect space to experience the atmospheric whisper of Ahbyezyana, the latest collaboration between electronic artist Rob Ray and filmmaker Deborah Stratman. The site-specific, multimedia installation was inspired by Stalker, the 1979 cinematic masterpiece by Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky. Ahbyezyana (Russian for "monkey", and the nickname of the Stalker’s daughter) is a telekinetic haunting of delicate insistence – nothing calls attention to itself – but small strange events begin to occur the longer you stay in the space. In the film, the daughter redeems the otherwise-doomed spiritual journey of the titular Stalker, and affirms faith as the conceptual pillar of spiritual existence. As such, the Vonzweck installation becomes a site for introspection and meditation on the pulse of the human spirit.
- Flavorpill, 2005
