Installation
in situ
2012
The SED Bezirksparteischule* in Erfurt, Germany is for me a building frozen in a particular moment of history - the GDR time.
Walking
in the building, the space evokes in me a game of chess. The
intervention took place in the long corridor on the right side as soon
as you enter the building. The installation consisted of an ambient
arrangement of two chairs, one is still directed to the table, the other
indicates that the occupant has left the game.
One chess clock still running
for Whites sits upon the table, and ceases for the Blacks an unfinished
game of chess, where only the pawns are present on the board.
In chess, some plays or games
have a special name. Time, Space & Power is one of those names,
named by Henrik Danielsen, the game was played in 1964 in Amsterdam
between the Russian Mikhail Tal against the Bulgarian Georgi Petrov
Tringov and I chose this name because it fits perfectly with the history
of this building.
The intervention also invited
the spectator to be there one minute in silence in order to hear the
chess-clock and synchronize or stop partially their “times” like that of
the building.
Special thanks to Mr. Daniel Wanzek the director and organizer of the chess tournament in Erfurt 2012.
*Bezirksparteischule