nostalgia

2009, 13', video 16:9, colour, stereo, HDV









Etymologically the word 'nostalgia' is derived from the Greek words 'nostos' and 'algos', meaning 'return' and 'suffering'. 'Nostalgia' is used to express the suffering caused by an unappeased yearning to return. The sadness caused by the impossibility of returning to one's land. A longing for home, but also implying the pain of ignorance, of not knowing what is happening or has become of something.

The notion of land on the island of Cyprus has radically changed since the military and political events of 1974. The division into a Southern Greek and a Northern Turkish part after the invasion of Turkish troops in August '74 is a climax in the turbulent history of Cyprus. As Greek and Turkish Cypriots had lived together until then, now they each fled to one side of the island leaving behind their homes and lives, up until present. Although it is possible since a few years now to cross the UN controlled bufferzone between both parts, the situation has not changed in essence and still resonates inside the people's minds.

Shot from a touristic observatory in Greek Nicosia the video 'nostalgia' shows a panoramic view on the Turkish part of Cyprus, across the buffer zone. The soundtrack is a collection of sounds along this so called Attila Line crossing the island from coast to coast. Sounds from the beaches around the ghosttown of Varosha and along its abandoned houses, from the Ledra Museum observatory in Nicosia, a war memorial and different other sites. 'nostalgia' questions the geopolitical meaning of land and the touristic exploitation of the landscape in relation to political propaganda. But how is this physical border a mental border? 'nostalgia' does reflect on the emotionally evoking and provoking qualities of the landscape.

WITH THE SUPPORT OF - Vlaamse Gemeenschap, Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie, beeldende kunst Strombeek Mechelen (bkSM)
DISTRIBUTION & PRESERVATION - Argos Centre for Art & Media




exhibitions & screenings

Belgium INC* - Mohsen Art Gallery, Tehran (IR), curator Michel Dewilde, 2010
Cross-talks - Crosstalk Video Art Festival, Budapest (HU), 2010
Living Spaces - 2nd All Art Now International New Media Art Festival, Damascus (SY), 2010
Camera Eye Essence - April Meetings Festival, Belgrade (RS), 2010
The Other Side of the Border - Courtisane Festival, Ghent (BE), 2010
Shot by Both Sides - Pieter Geenen & Johan Grimonprez - bkSM #8, cc Strombeek / De Garage Mechelen (BE), 2009