DEVIL HOTEL | helen

'Devil Hotel",collab. with Bert Jacobs

in the context of the 4th edition of Yart

at Geraard DeDuivelsteen in Ghent, Belgium

Site-specific sculpture, performance, video installation
15 March - 15 April, 2019 residency at Geraard De Duivelsteen
19 July - 26 July, 2019 group exhibition at Geraard De Duivelsteen

The work focuses on the truth and fake news and what are the ways of storytelling people use to create stories and urban legends. With the fake sign *Devil Hotel* crowning the castle for a month we achieved the desired result and got newspapers and radios contacting us thinking it was a real hotel.

Media Coverage:

1. Duivelsteen in Hollywood-stijl, Het Laatste Nieuws

2.Duivels Hotel in Gent-Centrum, Het Niewsblad

3.Radio 2 Ghent, interview

On 28th March we organised a performative participatory happening. During the event we asked everyone to dress up as a gala dinner to create a cinematographic setting in the walls of the castle. We prepared the set design as well. During the event we gave out the directions for participants to act out for the camera - example: pretend to be dead, wear a mask, spin while dancing etc. We recorded the performance. The video was edited as a surveillance camera footage to question the format of CCTV cameras. CCTV camera eye is the ultimate mediator of truth but how can this be manipulated and turned into the fantasy combining the urban legends around the castle and surreal events that could or could not happen in the castle. The video was presented in July in the group exhibition.

HELENA ALEKSANDROVA