Orientations

The video Orientations is made of a sequence shot filmed by a subjective camera that recounts a wandering in the city of Tunis. The off-screen reflected in a glass filled with ink is used as a compass and an illusory float with a funambulistic progression. In this very simple optical device, the appearance of city fragments gives directions and stretches the horizon. The video shows a walk of short-sightedness and a gathering of images of the overflowing and distraction of senses.

In Orientations, ink is used to create images. I walk through Tunis, holding a glass filled with black ink, and film the reflecting surface. When you focus on it, the ink becomes a screen capable of receiving images. Focusing on this glass is a way of framing and filming, and filming this black lens leads to a reflection on the act of seeing itself. I'm also interested in how the inky surface allows the video images to vibrate and how the gaze, as well as the camera, tries to find the right distance between the material and the surrounding landscapes. Any orientation seems useless in this attempt at constant adjustment.

Ismaïl Bahri