The project for the Axel-Springer-building in Berlin was based on images of talking people. On the screen on top of the tower block, two persons could be seen from the distance. After a while it was possible to discern what they are pronouncing, even though it was inaudible – they said “everything is white” and “everything is black”. These contradictory statements were spoken by two mouths directly next to each other, in a continuous sequence: first a person says, “everything is white”, next to an other person who says, “everything is black”; then there was a change. The film showed a part of the faces, but focused on the talking mouths.

The words ould be ‘seen’ in different languages: Amharic (Ethiopia), Russian (Russia), French (France), Arab (Morocco), German (Germany), Turkish (Turkey), Hebrew (Israel), English (New Zealand/UK), Dari (Afghanistan) and Mandarin (China). In each case, the two people are native speakers

Each language has a time frame of about 30 seconds. The movements of the lips and mouths were so clear and concise that each viewer of the same linguistic area could easily perceive the statements.

Video screening on top of the Axel-Springer-Building in Berlin, in cooperation with Holger Friese. Curated by Annika von Taube / sleek magazine

Schwarz und Weiß, LED screen, screening dimensions 50,4 x 4 meters, 3 film sequences dur. in between 60 und 90 sec. Berlin 2007.