Doug Aitken at Hamburger Bahnhof 2007

Doug Aitken (b. 1968, LA, USA) exhibited Eraser at the ‘Beyond Cinema’ video and film art exhibition at the Hamburger Bahnhof (29 September 2006 – 25 February 2007). Eraser was certainly the most elaborate installation of the entire exhibition consisting of seven twin screen projections which the viewer progressed through one by one. The aim of the installation was to immerse the viewer in what Aitken refers to as a ‘linear journey, north to south, of the active volcanic island of Monserrat, West Indies’ (so stated a text written on the wall facing the viewer entering the installation). Each twin screen segment of the installation produces a disorienting effect due to thunderous soundscape and the dislocation between two views of the same subject. The following video of just one of the twin screens should be listened to with headphones to get an idea of the power of the soundscape.

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