Rick Fisher, Don Rice: Arcadia

Artist(s):

Title:

Arcadia

Exhibition:

DAC Online Exhibition 2015: Enhanced Vision - Digital Video
More artworks from DAC Online Exhibition 2015:

Creation Year:

2014

Medium:

Video

Size:

4:49 min.

Artist Statement:

A digitally augmented metaphorical response to an age-old question, namely, is there a dark side to the human endeavor to create the perfect habitation able to sustain the lifestyle of our own choosing within the natural limitations of the planet earth? One person’s notion of Utopia is another person’s nightmare.

The background scenes for Arcadia were shot in the pristine Canadian Pre-Cambrian Shield that contains some of the oldest rock formations on the planet. Each scene was then digitally augmented incorporating elements that never could have occurred naturally. For example, in one scene, multiple copies of a dancer inspired by the Japanese Butoh movement are placed into the scenery along with giant smokestacks. The uncanniness of the verisimilitude convinces the viewer that the scene was captured as is with the camera, and causes the viewer to re-interpret their understanding of Utopia, the impact of human activity, and our moral stance to our environment and to each other.