Syndicate: Tracing exhibtion by George Legrady at MOCA, Los Angeles

["Legrady, George" <george.legrady@merz-akademie.de>]

for immediate release: (Apologies for mass mailing and duplication)
__________________________________________________________________________


Tracing
2 Screen interactive Installation, 1998
George Legrady

Museum of Contemporary Art
250 South Grand Ave
Los Angeles, CA

September 1 - November 5, 1998


Description of the Installation

A two sided screen projection incorporating motion control sensor
detectors, laserdisc video projection, database information storage and
computer interactivity. Tracing 's continuous display of images, texts, and
ambient sounds evolve via a matrix of motion detection devices triggered by
viewers' movements within the space.

In the artist's words, Tracing utilizes "the two-sided physicality of a
wall to contrast two states of cultural difference: immersion or alienation
in the information age." Legrady cites the intersection of two historical
shifts as the inspiration for this work: the difficult transition towards
Western cultural integration in Eastern Europe and the simultaneous
proliferation of a "techno-cultural society" worldwide. The sense that, in
addition to differences based on geopolitical, historical and economic
circumstances, states of cultural belonging or alienation are also
contingent on being integrated or excluded within the techno-cultural
environment.

On one side of the projection wall that divides the space, an evolving
series of texts grouped in four categories ("Everyday
Situations,""Systems," "Issues of Technology," and "Who are You?") suggest
how a young generation of technology users (Legrady's students in San
Francisco) think of and describe themselves.  These reference points of a
technological culture are contrasted with the blurred fragments of a letter
from anon-native English speaker projected on the opposite side of the
wall.  As portions of the text are brought into focus with a mouse device,
each legible word triggers a brief video projection drawn from the
artist'stravels in Eastern and Central Europe, offering glimpses of
cultural spaces that appear "European" but quickly register themselves as
somewhat different.

As the title implies, each visitor to Tracing constructs their own
understanding of the artwork's non-linear narrative structure based on
their experience through interaction. The wall dividing the installation
space functions as a two-sided mirror that aims to reflect on the viewers'
relation to technologically processed information - a contested arena of
cultural immersion or exclusion.


Curated by Julie Lazar, director of Experimental Programs

This exhibition is part of MOCA's ongoing Focus Series which is supported by
Mitsui Fudosan (USA), Inc.

Tracing was commissioned by the Kunst und Austellungshalle
derBundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn.  Concept development assistance and
interactive programming support for "Tracing" provided by Rosemary Comella;
additional production support was provided by Redfinger Sensor Systems,
Metalogic, Paris.



George Legrady

Professor of Digital Media
Merz Akademie
Teck Str 58
Stuttgart, Germany, D-70190
tel.  011-49-711-268-66-0
fax. 011-49-711-268-66-21
george.legrady@merz-akademie.de