On Off Shore – beta version
2024
Media installation with five videos displayed on five monitors.
Dimensions variable
Desks, Documents and note pads, Korean snacks and drinks, media players, monitors, speakers (active), swivel chairs
5 videos, varying lengths
The tidal mudflats off the coast of Baegmihang, Buan, Chebudo, Ganghwado and Julpo have been through relentless and thoughtless campaigns to be altered into suitable land for industrial and sometimes agricultural development projects. Korean industry, finance and politicians make out a tight and impenetrable power conglomerate focusing entirely on finacial control and economic growth. The results of their activities are damaged eco systems and social disaster. Very few of these, extraordinary expensive, undertakings led to desired economical outcome. On the contrary, most of them have been costly financial failures. People’s livelihood lie in ruins and the land has become useless for any human endeavour. Several ecological systems have become irreversibly broken.
Hellberg find the tidal mudflats interesting as a metaphor for the dilemma that people’s understanding of their environment engender. These mudflats are only pieces of land half of the time. The other half of their existence they are submerged under water. This establishes a dualistic continuance of being. Not only does the tidal mudflat avoid an unambiguous definition its physical constitution further evades a distinct apprehension. The emerged plane can have any consistence from being solid through viscous to fluid. Its continuously changing character is of such confusing demeanours that most people avoid ideas to exploit this transient land areas.
On Off Shore is an ongoing video project where Gustav Hellberg is revisiting a four year old video film project that never was shot. Using research material and location video footage he is recreating the essence of the original visions and intentions.
Monitor content
Monitors 1 and 2:
Monitors 1 and 2 each present two computers’ desktop layout. Each showing several videos playing simultaneously. Both monitors’ main window shows views from a flying camera. Adjacent window renders an English translation of the Korean audio track. The audio tracks are fictive radio communications about the camera’s positions, visual and electronically detected observations about the getbol (tidal flat), its minerals and biological status. Two more windows show animated gauges.
Monitor 1 represent a hacker/activist’s airborne surveyor.
Monitor 2 represent an executive venture’s airborne surveyor.
Monitors 3,4 and 5:
Monitor 3 display video advertising by Korea’s largest financial and industrial conglomerates.
Monitor 4 display video clips shot at various getbols (tidal flats) on the South Korean west coast.
Monitor 5 display present a computer’ desktop layout, presenting research about the getbols’ ecological status and legislation about their exploitation as well as preservation restrictions. Together with a research on Korea’s national and local governmnet’s promotion material on exploitation of getbol areas and marine exploitation.
