Ode to Seekers 2012

Welcome to a tour through the corridors of horror! Welcome to a world that is no more than a deserted institution in which the traumatic destruction of human consciousness is rewarded, where we are ultimately nothing other than colorless objects, caught in endless loops of the capitalist perversion of modern power relations, trapped in fear and dependency. We float, remote controlled, through the corridors of our consciousness, flooded by perceptions, waiting for the next injection.

Created on the basis of personal experiences, the video piece conceived as an infinite loop by Andrew Norman Wilson conveys a deeply sincere revelation, an allegorical depiction of the subjective inner truth about our existence, about the destabilization of individuality. Situated in a field of tension between past, present, and progress, between real and surreal, steadycam shots are mixed with pyrotechnics, computer-generated imagery, and 3D animations.

Inspired by John Keats’ Ode on a Grecian Urn (1820), Wilson adapts visualization strategies from classical literature. He divides his video into three parts in which leitmotifs, subtopics, and agents act together and reflect complex mental structures. Mosquito, syringe, and oil pump are the central carriers of meaning here, allegorically associated with illness, susceptibility, and the addiction to consumption. Wilson deliberately refrains from direct critique. The artist instead opens up a broad field for interpretations with his gloomy sarcasm, integrating the viewers and making them participating observers of the events.

The notion of endlessness is conceptually supported by dispensing with opening and closing credits. The musical accompaniment is contrary to the gloomy outlook. While the pop song I Love It can be heard in the background, the mosquito, the syringe, and the oil pump celebrate the joy of consumption, with the lyrics having the effect of a sarcastic complement.

Illness, addiction, consumption, smoke whose full yellow reminds one of sulfur.

Ode to Seekers 2012 is characterized by a poetic visualization structure, dynamic sequences, allegory, and rhythm. (Ivon Valchanova)