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Artist: Kader Attia |
Curator: Laurie Ann Farrell |
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Kader Attia, Algeria
History of a Myth: The Small Dome of the Rock
Curator: Laurie Ann Farrell, US
The artwork consists of a miniature sculpture comprised of two silver nuts of different sizes holding in place a brass bolt. A camera is placed alongside this assemblage to capture its form which is then projected onto a large canvas increasing it to many times its size. Once projected to this monumental scale the very small assemblage evokes an architectural representation of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. A new level of power is bestowed onto the nuts and bolt through evoking the Dome of the Rock, one of the worlds’s oldest existing Islamic buildings.
This work creates a space for interpreting our contemporary global culture where pieces of information ebb and flow; where meaning is diluted and the true value of things can be lost. The historic references of the Dome of the Rock are numerous, especially in Arab-Muslim history, with the complex contemporary conflict immediately brought to mind. An additional audio component – the evocative sound of wind against the mosque’s esplanade – recreates the sensory experience of Kader Attia when he visited the monument. Emanating through two small speakers placed in front of the image, visitors are given the impression that the sound is coming from the projection. The mysterious, amplified noise reverberating through the dark space, illuminated only by the striking projection on the canvas, creates a lasting impression on the viewer. The strength of the wind and deep reverberation suggests the end of one period and the beginning of a new era.
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