CHRISTEL
2008

Labyrinth, multi media installation. 300 cm x 400 cm x 250 cm.
Including photographs, embroidery, handwriting, vintage objects, videos, sound and live performance.

The multi media installation Christel consists of numerous different art works, each of them not only representing a piece in the puzzle that helps me to become and be Christel, but that also helps to build and represent her life in the 1960s. The installation‘s labyrinth-like design can be seen as a 3-dimensional book that invites the viewer to read about her life – whereby each of the labyrinth‘s hallways represents one chapter – giving the viewer the opportunity to focus on and digest one chapter after another.
The story cumulates in the final room; a theater-like setting that not only enables me to re-live Christel‘s life – but that allows the viewer to share this experience, too.

First Hallway

Handwriting
5 pages of handwriting development.
My attempt to create, develop, and learn Christel‘s handwriting.

Shorthand
Notepad, consisting of 97 pages of shorthand practices.
Following instructions, as described in the book “The GREGG Shorthand Manuel Simplified”, I taught myself the art of Gregg Shorthand.

Video #1
Untitled (Christel, living room)

Second Hallway

Christel
Self-portrait

Rose collection
12 cross-stitched embroideries.
In my free time I occupied myself with Christel‘s interests, stitching 12 rose embroideries.

Video # 2
Untitled (Christel, forest)

Third Hallway

Sound of Silence

Bobby # 1 & # 2
Robert F. Kennedy, campaigning for Senator in 1964.
Found footage, enlarged.

Video # 3
Untitled (Christel, shadow)

Final Room

Sound of an Eastern Bluebird

Ducks #1 - #18
Black and white photographs of ducks in a park.

Her View
In collaboration with Jeremy Hobbs.

Archive
Collected items including 1950/60s furniture, chinaware, clothing, and books.

Christel
Performance (Christel sitting in her armchair, reading)

© Angela Kaisers 2018