inside out

The video work ‘inside out’ by Clemens Wittkowski begins acoustically with supposedly tearing explosions. The initially blurred images suggest something dramatic: Confrontation and war. After half a minute, however, the scenery and the sound become something else: an impressive firework display lights up with virtuosity, and a male voice breathes intensely. Originally, fireworks were intended to drive away evil spirits and fears or to intimidate the other side in battle. Nowadays, it is primarily a source of fascination and entertainment. ‘inside out’ translates these historical ambivalences into sensitive, emotional ones. Because our feelings do not per se indicate our outer behavior – and vice versa. The two poles often fight with each other. Often contradictory. Always directly.