Synopsis

In the course of its history, filmmaking has exploited a variety of tricks and constructions to mimic reality. Achieving a realistic simulation of elementary natural forces has always been of pivotal importance, and is something that presents a particular challenge.

The typical objective of special effects is to imitate reality as closely as possible in order to support or supplement a narrative. Cloudtank neither wants to tell a story, nor does it even want to try and make us believe that what we are seeing is real. Using a special effect that simulates clouds, the film presents the cloud as idea. What we see allows us to enter into our own private visual world, to create our own story. Cloudtank is a short film about the emergence and dissolution of illusion. It is a film that uses clouds to call up real and imagined images out of memory, allowing us to submit to the pleasure of illusion. When do we believe what we see, and when do we want to believe what we see.

Deception of the Eye.
Special Effects in Contemporary Art

with Helene Appel, Sven Braun, Morten Buch, Rainer Eisch, Christian Jankowski, Gereon Krebber, Saskia Olde Wolbers, Tony Oursler, Reynold Reynolds & Patrick Jolley, Georges Rousse, Vicky Wright
March 28 – Mai 30, 2010

Kunsthalle Wilhelmshaven
Adalbertstr. 28
26382 Wilhelmshaven
Tel: +49 4421 41448
www.kunsthalle-wilhelmshaven.de

Catalogue published by Kerber Artbooks, edited by Viola Weigel
size 260 × 200 mm, 104 pages, German / English, ISBN 978-3-86678-379-9
buy the Book at Amazon

CLOUDTANK, Installationview, Kunsthalle Wilhelmshaven, 2009