Sunday, February 15, 2015

City, Assembled, Moving Panorama 
inspired by the Dublin Civic Exhibition 1914

The exhibition aims to portray Dublin then and now using one space, to create a re-imagination of Dublin's city planning. On entering the space one is confronted by a large octagonal volume with a timber structure filling the space. One is guided around the space to the panorama entrance at the back of the room, bringing a sense of anticipation of what lies inside. Within the moving panorama space one is placed at the crossroads on South William Street. Although the video slightly trails behind the panorama photograph, this adds a sense of movement within the street bringing it to life. 

The noises of everyday life helps one imagine they are actually standing on the street especially if there alone, one is unsure what is real and what is being played for effect. The space itself is extremely cold but without this thermal element perhaps it would be more difficult to image standing in Dublin City. 


Watching people move throughout the exhibition space one observes how each individual experiences the exhibition differently. Some walk quickly to the panoramas entrance almost to excited to find what awaits inside. While others enjoy the suspense, reading methodically the information around the space. Many people described a hypnotic sense while in the the moving panorama, leaving them disorientated once they emerged


There is great contrast between day and night within the moving panorama. Durning the day one is more aware of the room the panorama fills, it's glazed ceiling, bare walls and ornate windows. At night the panorama controls the space and all attention is on it. When the space is filled with people many shadows are cast on the screen, filling the street with people. However when you are in the panorama completely alone, one can totally immerse ones self within the true experience of everything the morning panorama has to offer. 

Christina Kerr