Response 6, Nauman & Palestine

Though initially disorienting, the inverted perspective of Nauman’s Stamping in the Studio gradually becomes more natural as the piece progresses. The rhythmic stomping seems to play a part in this (at least it did for me) by adding a sense of order to his otherwise confusing piece. Even as he roams in and out of the camera’s view, seemingly stomping on the ceiling, the regularity of his stomping offsets the peculiarity of it all, though the information given to our eyes is distorted, the regularity from our ears seems to compensate. And while Stamping was convoluted, the square piece was much more regular. By simply putting one foot in front of the other, he creates another pattern of regularity, one that we quickly become very comfortable with. Of course Nauman plays with this pattern by unexpectedly reversing or going back along one side of the square again. Another interesting facet of his piece is that a section of the square forces him out of the camera’s range, building a sense of anticipation in his audience.

Palestine’s Island Song created unease. His repeating of the phrase “Gotta get outta here” created a feeling of necessity for escape. Of course as he is on an island this is not possible as he is on his motorcycle, but his attempt is nevertheless poignant. He drives around on his motorcycle seemingly unwilling or unable to remain still. In the end, he stops, and the hum of the motorcycle as well as his own voice are silenced, leaving only the crashing waves, which are in a way the forces or instruments of his entrapment, again underlining the futility of his attempted escape.