24/02

Ria Pacquée - As Long As I See Birds Flying I Know I Am Alive (2015, 14’)

Ria Pacquée is a keen observer of public life. In ‘As long as I see birds flying I know I am alive’ she collects recordings made in Paris, Kathmandu, Athens, Istanbul, Bruges, New York, Varanasi and Antwerp. By juxtaposing images of the sacred with those of a very earthly nature she undercuts the anthropological, scientific potential of her material - a disorienting strategy often used by Pacquée. Two recurring elements, clouds of drifting smoke and prowling birds, evoke a dreamlike and looming atmosphere which makes even the most common gesture appear like being part of an age-old ritual.

‘Le Songe de Poliphile’  focuses on various techniques employed to conquer fear, such as pilgrimages to holy places, the production of anti-anxiety medication, and the extraction of snake venom. For Visite Film Festival Camille Henrot makes a one-time exception to show her work outside the exhibition room. Pacquée’s second choice the film ‘La Bouche’ tells the story of a man who learns that his daughter has been brutally murdered by her husband. Time stands still as he oscillates between the need for solace and his urge for revenge.

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