TRANSPARENCY BY IGNASI ABALLÍ FOR THE PROGRAM SCREENS AND WINDOWS
Ignasi Aballí
02.12.2010 - 06.03.2011
With this new exhibition programme Screens and Windows, ACVic proposes to use the glass front of its building to install different projects.
Suggesting subjects such as data and territories, physical space-virtual space, texts and hypertexts, maps and cartographies or information and counter-information, among other things, ACVic aims to reflect, through the deployed projects, on questions related to public space in its extended meaning, conceptually as well as physically.
The Transparency intervention on the glass wall of ACVic's frontage reflects upon the physical characteristics of the building and of its structural support. In this first intervention the Centre itself is the starting point for a reflection which, in further projects, will be broadened out to other areas and territories. One of the main characteristics of the big glass wall of ACVic's main frontage is the transparency; which makes possible the connection of the inside and the outside of the space.
The Transparency project consists on the one hand of closing and blinding the condition of transparency of the glass, covering it with a black vinyl layer, and on the other hand raising questions over the condition of transparency itself cutting out text in the vinyl, the letters becoming cracks allowing us to see both sides of the space. The text will explain some of the meanings of the word transparency regarding optics and physics as well as in the metaphorical sense of political transparency , alluding to the need for transparency a public Centre should exercise in all areas of its activity.
At the same time, the intervention strongly alters the conditions of the space inside, converting it into a closed and dark room hiding the interior in opposition to its original intention. Whoever wishes to discover what happens behind the walls must become a kind of voyeur, looking without being seen, through the small spaces the text opens up in the opacity of the wall.
Seen from outside and due to the reflecting effect of the black inner cover, the glass wall will incorporate the surrounding landscape as one more element of its architecture which almost causes the wall itself to disappear.
In optics transparency is the ability to let the light through. It is possible to see through transparent materials, because they allow the images to pass clearly. In mineralogy, this property is known as transparency. The contrary property is opacity. Although the concept of transparency refers normally to visible light, also it can also be considered as referring to any type of radiation. Examples of transparent materials include air, some other gases, liquids such as water, the majority of glasses and plastics like Perspex and Pyrex. Principle of transparency: Regular public information of activities undertaken and of their consequences.
Desde el exterior - a causa del efecto reflectante de los cristales cubiertos de negro por la parte interior del espacio- la pared incorporará el paisage que tiene alrededor integrándolo como un elemento más de la arquitectura que prácticamente hará desaparecer.
SW Screens and Windows, as part of ACVic' exhibitions programme and through an open call and invitations, aims to display new proposals making use of part of the Centre's glass frontage as well as a version for the internet . Participating projects will be displayed at acvic.org. The formal realisation of these proposals must take into account each of the two spaces, virtual and physical.
The projects for Aparadors i Pantalles should have an open theme, although they must also address conceptual relationships beween subjects such as those in the following suggestions : data and territories - analog and digital - physical space and virtual space - texts and hypertexts - stops & motions - curtains and banners - visualisation of data and texts in context - maps and cartographies - data and analogies - narrations and dates - information and counterinformation - graphs and cities, to be exhibited in the glass frontage and in the web site space through the screen.
In the second phase participating projects may be invited to intervene in selected shop windows in Vic or other cities.
SW-01 invited Project. Ignasi Aballí is the invited artist to begin the programme Screens and Windows. The Transparency project consists on the one hand of closing and blinding the condition of transparency of the glass, covering it with a black vinyl layer, and on the other hand raising questions over the condition of transparency itself cutting out text in the vinyl, the letters becoming cracks allowing us to see both sides of the space.
