screen, 2002
still images from dual channel video
dimensions variable
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Screen is a dual channel video projection. Two women, one blonde and one brunette appear simultaneously in each frame. This creates an impossible time structure, with both roles played concurrently.

Set against a typical portraiture backdrop each woman stands on guard dressed in an identical gray uniform. The women protect each other’s vulnerability. Mannequin like, with stoic expressions, the women devotedly shield each other from view. Through the repeated loop their dutiful stance remains forever unchanged.

The stillness of the woman in the foreground makes her appear as if she is within an illuminated photograph. However, this acts to magnify the subtle movements that go on behind her. It is unclear as to what the concealed action is. There is no apparent reason or resolve to the never-ending activity. Fragments of skin mistakenly appear, peeking outside the silhouette of the guard. It becomes apparent that the hidden subject is continuously changing in and out of uniform. Screen plays on the voyeuristic tendencies of the viewer, even though no actual nudity is ever revealed. What can’t be seen becomes the major focus of the video.



all images © Diana Shpungin & Nicole Engelmann 2000-2007