7 April 2013
Review of Thilo Frank’s Infinite Rock
Sharjah Biennial 11.
Sharjah Biennial 11 Curatorial Concept
Inspired by the courtyard in Islamic architecture—in particular the historical courtyards of Sharjah, where elements of both public and private life intertwine—SB11 Curator Yuko Hasegawa proposes a new cultural cartography that reconsiders the relationships between the Arab world, Asia, the Far East, through North Africa to Latin America.
For the Sharjah Biennial’s upcoming edition, curator Yuko Hasegawa (see the biography) looks at artworks and practices that resonate with strands of the Sharjah Biennial 11 theme: complexity and diversity of cultures and societies; spatial and political relations; notions of new forms of contact, dialogue and exchange; and production through art and architectural practices of new ways of knowing, thinking and feeling.
Hoor Al Qasimi, President and Director of the Sharjah Art Foundation, adds, “The 2013 Biennial will reflect Sharjah’s long history as a place where diverse communities are encouraged to share ideas and contribute to the multi-cultural landscape that is characteristic of the Emirate. Ms. Hasegawa has proposed a deeply thoughtful Biennial that will address some of the issues critical to art production in this current moment of great cultural change.”
Infinite Rock
It is one of art works in Sharjah Biennial 2013.
Black artwork in the heart of old city in Sharjah, and in the middle of AL Serkal House, it looks like a spaceship had landed in the courtyard of AL Serkal House, the artwork is by Thilo Frank .
The shape is so modern, with sharp edges that makes it look like a black Gem under the microscope, especially if you are standing in the second floor of the Serkal house.
Before Enterning the Infinite Rock, you will need to first remove your shoes. You then enter a corridor that leads to a dark alley that makes you feel slowly that you are disconnecting from the outside world, and entering Frank’universe.
The room, designed by glass mirrors with a swing in the middle gives you a unique experience that I doubt you’ve ever had before.
Thilo Frank
Born in 1978 lives and works in Berlin. His installations, sculptures and photo series lead the viewer into situations creating interactive physical dialogues. Physical phenomena and environments of our daily life are interpreted in a new context emphasizing our perception of light, space and motion in a poetic and playful way.
His works ask of a visitor to question one‘s relation to action in space and the consequences of one‘s action – an intimate experience.
The viewer functions as a co-producer of the work, perceiving his or her relational aspect as a instrument of measurement. The cognitive aspect in its work is enacted by the viewer, who through his physical reaction to the work, reflects himself to it. Through his physical interaction – the viewer completes the work.
Through the use of everyday technologies Thilo Frank explores the conventions of sight and movement and their visualization. Examination produces a type of measuring standard through which even seemingly random events are viewed equally. Through his works, an attempt is made to illustrate the optical coefficient and with this to analyse the space.
