seen

FESCH.TV INFORMIERT:

Directed by Curren Taber
Music by Bon Iver

I recently thought about my relationship with God and how His view of my life would differ from anything conceivable by humankind. According to the Bible, God is an omniscient, omnipresent, and loving Creator who made humans after his image. These statements hold wonderful implications, which inspired me to materialize God’s frame of reference. This piece explores the concept of being intimately seen and loved by God.

„O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!“
~ Psalms 139: 1-6

This three-minute, multi-channeled video piece takes place in a virtual studio space. Each television screen represents one view for each aspect of the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. To remove the negative connotation associated with CCTV setups, I staged the room with welcoming greenery and a bright neon sign that says „seen.“ Its lettering acts as a glowing reminder of the statement that I’m seen by God, despite my inability to see Him. By mounting the camera in a way that continually records my face, I allow viewers to gain insight into both my emotional and physical state at any given moment. A constant movement of the scene’s camera imitates the ability for God to see everything, but also to look intently at each particular person. On the outer screens, clips of my face appear in a non-continuous order, showing that the gaze of God transcends time itself. Justin’s chorus of „iMi“ repeats „I am,“ a phrase used by God when referring to himself.