Days in Night

Thomas Kneubühler &

The film Days in Night begins with a shot of total darkness, nothing can be recognised. As the eyes become accustomed to the missing light, contours and shadows gradually emerge out of the darkness and a desolate landscape can be recognised. A voice from the off tells us about the daily life on the military and research basis CFS Alert at the north pole, where the days are without light from October to early March and life carries on in a dark night.

With the emergence of the contours and the static shot, the film radiates a peaceful languor into the all-embracing night; one’s various senses are activated and challenged. There is a greater awareness of one’s own body and its surroundings, which contributes to the viewer’s peace of mind. The film reawakens childhood memories, of moments at night when one was looking for stars and discovered more and more as time passed. One could also recognise other contours and structures and take delight in discovering something familiar in the unknown. But can the viewer rely on a single sense, his sight? The level sequence of the most northerly settlement at the north pole, and the calm of the reduced visual impression of the poorly lit sky result in a positive, relaxed attitude – in contrast to the inhospitable and hard conditions of living which is reported by the voiceover. (Siri Effelsberg)

* We can only show an excerpt of this work in the online archive. For the complete version, please contact the artist.

About the video

Title Days in Night
Year 2013
Videonale VIDEONALE.15
Length 00:03:48
Format 16:9
Country Canada, Switzerland,
Language English
Courtesy the artist
Specifications color, sound, single-channel video

About the artist

Thomas Kneubühler
  • 1963 in Solothurn, SUI.
    Studied at the Concordia University, Montreal, CAN
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