Psychiatric Clinic – Duffel, Belgium
November 2003
Project R-building
Concept
A 14-day, site-specific exhibition at a condemned, historical building that had been part of a psychiatric clinic, organized around the theme of “Art and Psychiatry.”
The former use and peculiar qualities of this building became the basis for projects created by the participating artists.
"Tourist”
Before entering the building, visitors were confronted by a video projection of a woman standing in front of a window, staring off into the distance,
unaware of her surroundings.
Upon entering the building, visitors would find that of the various rooms, one was closed, with disparate sounds emanating from within.
From headphones hanging outside the door one could hear a woman’s voice reading poems by Antonin Artaud. At first her voice seemed clear, but as her
tone changed the text became increasingly chaotic.
Apart from the poetry audible through the headphones, disturbing sounds could be heard coming from the other side of the door: fingernails scratching on
some sort of object, soft crying, humming, silence, knocking, etc…
A peephole was placed in the middle of the door in such a way that visitors were obliged to bend awkwardly if they wanted to see into the room.
What one saw was a woman in a white nightgown staring at the door, but who really seemed to be lost in her own world. Was she the one reciting the text
and making those sounds?
It is only as a voyeur that one can see or hear this “patient,” who otherwise remained a mystery.
•
November 2003
Project R-building
Concept
A 14-day, site-specific exhibition at a condemned, historical building that had been part of a psychiatric clinic, organized around the theme of “Art and Psychiatry.”
The former use and peculiar qualities of this building became the basis for projects created by the participating artists.
"Tourist”
Before entering the building, visitors were confronted by a video projection of a woman standing in front of a window, staring off into the distance,
unaware of her surroundings.
Upon entering the building, visitors would find that of the various rooms, one was closed, with disparate sounds emanating from within.
From headphones hanging outside the door one could hear a woman’s voice reading poems by Antonin Artaud. At first her voice seemed clear, but as her
tone changed the text became increasingly chaotic.
Apart from the poetry audible through the headphones, disturbing sounds could be heard coming from the other side of the door: fingernails scratching on
some sort of object, soft crying, humming, silence, knocking, etc…
A peephole was placed in the middle of the door in such a way that visitors were obliged to bend awkwardly if they wanted to see into the room.
What one saw was a woman in a white nightgown staring at the door, but who really seemed to be lost in her own world. Was she the one reciting the text
and making those sounds?
It is only as a voyeur that one can see or hear this “patient,” who otherwise remained a mystery.
•
