After arriving at Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Germany, I ruminated over how I can interpret the movement of fear in spatial video installations. I wanted to weave sound devices, video, photography, and sensory experience into the core of my project. Additionally, I held meetings with the residency team, hoping to implement a locally produced suspension system to bear the weight of the body and test the possibilities of falling. Unfortunately, after surveying the site and conducting a risk assessment with the local installation team, we found that it was ultimately impossible to experiment with the suspension system due to German space regulations.

During the residency I deconstructed and reassembled the concept of the suspended falling installation and created a new performative installation project "So Absurd!" In this project, I aimed to explore what we fear and what situations trigger our fear responses from different distances and angles. Within the exhibition space, the performers continuously explored unknown areas, potentially encountering "fear-inducing events" that caused them to lose their sense of self. More dangerously, they silently accepted this repetitive process, becoming accustomed to the contradictions and confusion within it, making this illogical absurdity seem commonplace. The exhibition highlighted "intangible fears" through a combination of site-specific video and performative installations, deliberately using real-time video equipment and snow globe installations to emphasize the absurd and uncontrolled dialogic process.

Author: Ya-Wen Fu
Edited: Brix