'Mezzo Moderno, Mezzo Distrutto (Half Modern, Half Destroyed)'

A video installation by Larisa Blazic

Wed 18th - Sat 21st November 5pm - 1am

A skater uses the video as a backdropOver 2500 people experienced Gillett Square's first video installation during its four day run. The specially designed screen structure for the installation was 60sqm and created a giant, illuminated wall which filled the square with colour and light. Hackney-based artist Larisa Blazic remixed mobile phone footage shot by local contributors of buildings and streets in Dalston, and more widely througout Hackney, to form a moving image collage.

Mezzo video installationThe installation created new social relationships in the public space as people met in the square to sit and contemplate the artwork together; watched and discussed it from the cafe under the Vortex or were simply surprised enough by its sudden appearance to stop for a moment as they passed through the square. Although the film looped every seven minutes, many people said that they couldn't tell where it began or ended but were engaged by what they saw as a series of digital paintings.

Audience feedback:

'I have been really enjoying this every evening. It puts into pictures the inescapable, huge transformations of the landscape around us.'
(written in comments book anonymously)  

'Brings the square and area to life. We love it!'
(written in comments book anonymously)

'Makes an amazing atmosphere in the square and makes you feel like you're in an even more surprising and exciting community.'
(E9 resident Felicity)

From the Producer, Emma Jones

I was interested in working with Larisa Blazic to produce this project for Gillett Square because I felt that the subject of change in the built environment was highly relevant to local audiences in Dalston and more widely across East London. Larisa demonstrated in her approach to the project a deep concern for local neighbourhoods and communities which relates to her own sense of being at home in Hackney as a resident of the borough for many years. Her ambitious use of large buildings’ facades with multiple projections in her previous installations convinced me that she could take on the scale of Gillett Square.

Critical to Blazic’s concept was the socially-engaged process of creating the material for this public event. I was intrigued that she wanted to ask other people to film all the material for her artwork and “not pick up the camera at all myself!”. HCD’s ongoing work with local organisations and communities provided the framework for me to invite people to participate in this project. In particular, I wanted to develop our existing relationships with Age Concern and also with Studio Upstairs, a therapeutic visual art facility which is based in the Dalston Culture House above the Vortex. Age Concern Hackney’s Silver Surfers group were involved over many months and their members took part in ‘filming walks’ for the project. Three artists from Studio Upstairs filmed material for the installation over six months. Together they uploaded over one hundred personal short films of the urban landscape onto the project’s website which uses a highly innovative ‘copyleft’ software programme called Interkomm. Through this open platform Larisa wanted to include multiple viewpoints and a sense of collective creativity in her work both online and in this physical public space.

We are very pleased that Hackney Council, the National Lottery through Arts Council England and the London Development Agency all supported HCD in making this ambitious project possible.

More about the artist

artist picture
(L-R) Adam Hart (HCD), Larisa Blazic, Emma Jones (HCD)
Larisa Blazic is a Hackney-based artist, whose previous works include the site-specific video installations In This Place of Safety, 205A Morning Lane and Angel (of Peckham).

She works at the intersection of architecture and visual art, employing a range of digital media and ‘copyleft’ internet-based techniques. Blazic has studied architecture at Belgrade University and completed her MA degree at the University of Westminster, London, where she now teaches ‘Digital Media and Interactive Design’.

Her current work is focused on interactive site-specific installation exploring audience participation, real-time audio distribution and networked video installation. Her work explores location as main carrier of meaning, aesthetics of everyday urban experience, creative use of surveillance technologies, real-time video stream and the moving image in the context of temporary public art interventions and its communication to a wider audience.

Artist's website: www.e-w-n-s.net