Death Kit Train
2004
single channel video
2’56’’
2004
single channel video
2’56’’
“Death Kit Train” is more than a story of “desperateness” or “futility”. The ones at the back of the line push each other in spite of the fact that the number of the ones pushing the car at the front of the line will be sufficient to move the car. Now going back to the bleak title of the video; those are freight trains carrying apocalyptic giant industrial or military vehicles. Those trains could be resembled to a porter but one with more power than usual. The number of people carrying a coffin is also more than the number of people actually required to carry it. The reason for this increase in the number of people is the fact that what is carried is no longer a worldly object- it has been transformed into something different. The number of people pushing the car is also greater than needed. What I mean is that while watching the video, one first supposes that the car is moving on its own. But once we have realized that there are people pushing the car and then later come to see the ones pushing the people pushing the car, both those people pushing the car and the people pushing each other or pushed, are transformed into something much more different. As a result the action misses its goal and creates its own meaning. I mean it begins to seek a meaning (belief) of its own which is beyond its apparent goal. Just like the absurd theatre, I am trying to talk about a new opening of “hope” by being inspired from a situation which might at first seem pessimistic. I am looking for this opening of “hope” by being inspired from what is dejected, crestfallen, hopeless, futile or grotesque. The faith that keeps the ones pushing the car together stems from that point- seeing a collective dream in spite of everything.
