Emma Froh [Sing Canary]

Estates such as Overlook seem like properties suspended in time. The grand sweep of beautifully maintained pastures, meadows, and gardens gives the impression of a bucolic utopia unmarred and untouched by change. In reality, Overlook is in a state of constant flux. Much of the change and evolution is occurring at a rate and scale outside of the realm of human perception.

Accordingly, the change also occurs outside of the dominion of human control.

Sing Canary desires to uncover these ordinarily imperceptible shifts through focused attention. The artwork manifests the complex feelings provoked by a confrontation with uncontrollable change. A sited architectural form and a video piece speak to underlying emotions including the longing for protection, the seduction of denial, and the fear of unrecoverable loss.

To access the ideal vantage point for the projection screen, the visitor must weave through a narrow switchback passage encased in a structure modeled after a deer blind. The allusion to a familiar Pennsylvanian structure is meant to invite observation and contemplation. Bottles containing potions and tinctures line the interior walls, supernaturally warding off undesirable evils.

Physically navigating through the structure demonstrates the initial desire to at least stand witness to change. The video presents two contrasting elements, respectively conveying perceived stillness and chaotic activity.

-EF