Unknown Gifts
Video Installation
Tracing paper, glue, thread, ink print, video one channel projection with sound, Casio CTK-3000-synthesizer, Stagg acoustic guitar, RP-50 effect pedal, Z00M R-16 recorder, lungs
Variable dimensions
Collaboration w/ Ya-chu Kang
2010
Residency project at Taipei Artists Village, Taipei Taiwan
The Unknown Gifts project asked for participators to share their memories or feelings about death, and imagine a gift for themselves if they die, based from the Funerary Paper burning traditions in Taiwan. Ya-chu Kang made these gifts into paper sculptures and presented as an installation using video projections. Christian Nicolay responded to the installation by composing a 19 minute and 25 second soundtrack of what he thought the installation and concept sounded like. His use of consonance and dissonance, melody and chaotic patterns unify the concept to reflect the known and unknown qualities of life and death. All of the sounds are original and were made during the artists Residency Period at Taipei Artists Village in Taipei Taiwan, October 1 to Nov 12, 2010.
The separation between life and death, known and unknown is valued and dealt with in many ways through the humans imagination and curious practices of ritual and superstition. Through this exploration the artists ask the participators and viewers to re-examine their idea of afterlife, and the traditions and practices associated with it.
