BABYLON - PASSAPAROLA, an installation presented by guest artist Ebi de Boer, features a visual and physical representation of the difficulty and challenge of understanding within a multitude of languages and cultures. Beginning as the word game Passaparola, the artists started with two words describing positive and negative aspects of creative work. Each artist attempted to explain their idea to another artist from a different country. This artist wrote the understood ( or misunderstood ) word, which was then passed to another artist. At the end the word returned to the original artist, and we were left with a list of words in seven languages, all trying to describe the original. Ebi de Boer then fashioned an installation, visually portraying the chaos and understanding experienced. Each word is written on clear nylon banners, followed by the perceived word in a different language. They flutter in the wind above the viewer, connecting the various cultures, uniting in imperfect understanding. The words fly through the wind, buffeted by air, diffused by light. Such is our condition as humanity. On a large scale between countries, religions, ethnic groups. A smaller scale in our studio of ten artists from seven countries, 3 continents, 2 sexes and spanning nearly 8 decades.

                          Neil Barab, Studio Pescarella

 



 Babylon Passaparola   Studio Pescarella   Studio Show December 2006...