[ISEA2019] Artist Statement: Mechthild Schmidt Feist — Involuntary Journeys: Interactive Storytelling on a Mapping Platform

Artist Statement

Keywords: Interactive Storytelling, Engaged Media, Refugee, Mapping, Projection, Light Drawing

My associations to the theme ‘Lux Aeterna/Eternal Light’ in the context of my project:
• Projection, lightpaintings, animating with light, shadows
• Illuminate a story, brightening a day, viewing in a new light
Involuntary Journeys is a storytelling projection that merges my interest in socially engaged art with the aesthetics of animated, projected light under my umbrella term of ‘Engaged Media’, spanning several visual platforms. I will combine two projections: the interactive map of individual refugee routes is overlaid with an animated light-drawing to build a rich visual texture.
Involuntary Journeys is a blog and mapping project based on refugee interviews I conducted in a month-long storytelling project in Greece. The stories are the basis for geolocated journeys on Google Earth and Google Maps. The viewer can follow the story along an interactive path with links to narratives and photos – or view the journey as a time-based video. In the ISEA exhibition space the map will be accompanied by an animated overlay projection poetically relating to the stories using light and shadow as an associative layer to the geographical facts.
This second projection is site-specific and can be moved to portable or bike-mounted projections.

  • Building on fine arts and history studies in Berlin, Mechthild Schmidt Feist (DE/USA) has worked in digital media since her DAAD graduate grant and Whitney-ISP fellowship brought her to New York. She worked as an award-winning artist for major studios and artists such as Alexander Kluge and Ornette Coleman. She has exhibited/lectured widely (SIGGRAPH, MIT/CAVS, NMC@Princeton, Bauhaus-Dessau, NYU, NTU-Singapore, SànArt-Saigon, Assumption-University-Bangkok). Mechthild explores interdisciplinary themes in virtual and conventional spaces between painting, photography and animation. Her visual elements often juxtapose graphic light elements with typography and the abstracted human figure in motion to overcome obstacles. She coined the term “Engaged Media” for a recent installation and projection series on environmental and ensuing social crisis as an aesthetic and ethical question. Her poetic use of animated texts reflects on personal responsibilities as a citizen and artist. Mechthild Schmidt Feist teaches as a Professor for Digital Communications + Media at New York University, USA. mechthildschmidtfeist.com

The interactive development and presentation of “Involuntary Journeys” is supported by the New York University School of Professional Studies Dean’s research grant. I thank Fabian Bracher and all at the “OHF – One Happy Family” community center near Mitilini, Lesbos for opening their minds and hearts to me. I especially thank all refugee partners for their trust. I am humbled by their strength to endure in the name of freedom and safety.

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