Die Grenze
The Border
- Date of creation : 1977, 1978
- Country : Germany
- Artist - Author : Marcel Odenbach
Description
The work is composed of three TV Stations and three monitors. (Source: Wulf Herzogenrath, "Marcel Odenbach, Das im Entwischen Erwischte Pläne 1975-1983 Video", Germany: Kunsthalle Bremen, 2008, p.191.)
"The three monitors with the respective programs (Belgium, Germany, Netherlands) symbolize their country itself, they reflect the different views on the design of the country-specific mass media; this in turn says something retrospectively about the culture, morals,... way of life, people, politics, etc. of the country of origin!
The dividing walls represent the borders between these countries. They are transparent because, depending on the circumstances, they can be overcome by the individual, so it is possible to participate in the culture of the other country, hence the mixture of sounds, which symbolizes a tendency for the borders to dissolve.
Depending on the position of the viewer, which embodies the attitude (his/hers), one can either see all three programs, just one program, etc. However, the almost transparent dividing walls mean that one cannot isolate oneself with just one country, because there is a constant influence between the cultures.
So are - "The effects of communication - mass media - always closely linked to the values of the society in which the communication takes place - countries -. Effects can only be understood and explained within the framework of the overall system consisting of complex ideas and experiences?" (A. Silbermann)
Verbal and visual communication is anchored in a social environment, culture - connects communicator and recipient with each other - thus influences social action!
Communication as a way of overcoming boundaries!
— Marcel Odenbach, may 1977"
(Source: Zdenek Felix (ed.), "Marcel Odenbach - Videoarbeiten", Germany: Köln, 1981, p.63.)
Additional Informations
This work has been presented at Neue Galeria, Aachen, Germany, in 1978; at Städisches Kunstmuseum, Bonn, Germany, in 1978 and at CAPC, Bordeaux, France, in 1978. (Sources: Udo Kittelmann (ed.), "Marcel Odenbach, Ach, wie gut, daß niemand weiß", Germany: Köln, 1999; p.110; Dan Cameron (ed.), "Marcel Odenbach", United States: New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, 1998, p.51)