The Fall of a System (Kingston upon Hull, North Sea), 2005
The project originated in 2004, when Charly Nijensohn was awarded a residency stipend by EMARE (European Media Artists Residency Exchange, currently EMAP – European Media Art Platform) to develop a project invited by Hull Time Based Art. Over a period of two months, the production developed through extensive walks along the region’s coastline, capturing footage in the manner of a slow, contemplative road movie shaped by the shifting conditions of the North Sea.
Strategically, the work explores the strict boundary between monumental industrial infrastructure and natural forces, positioning solitary human actions within a coastal landscape marked by heavy atmospheric density and systematic decay.
The Fall of a System
Kingston upon Hull, UK, North Sea 2005
Working Process & Environmental Context
Filmed on location around the post-industrial docks and waters of the North Sea, the production relied on specific weather conditions, utilizing the heavy fog that alters the coastline. The technical process involved positioning individuals within mechanical and maritime structures, balancing the scale of human bodies against industrial backdrops and shifting waters.
In its final iteration, the installation functions as a commentary on the collapse of human-engineered structures when confronted with time and natural elements. The figures moving through the mist become anonymous components of a fading apparatus. By completely avoiding narrative resolution, the work emphasizes a permanent state of suspension, where the breakdown of a system gives way to absolute isolation.
The Fall of a System, Ferens Art Gallery
Kingston upon Hull, UK 2005