Metropolis Rising

The structure of the installation was influenced by small mechanical theatres. It was an attempt to continue exploration of enveloping the audience, but on a smaller scale. Raising their heads into one of the two boxes, the viewer was immersed into a changing environment of movement, light and sound. The installation was constructed as two boxes to reflect the various conflicts within the film. In a parallel to the cinematic experience, the events within each box happened as part of a linear ‘narrative’. Each box was titled from a quotation from the film - this title was written in silver on black in a frame on the front of each box, echoing the intertitles of the silent film.

Each box was controlled by a small computer unit (Programmable Logic Controllers usually used to control production lines). Lights, motors and tape machines within the boxes were powered from a safe low voltage supply provided by a computer power supply unit, allowing the installation to run from a single wall socket. The displays in each box lasted approximately 90sec and were individually triggered from buttons on the handrail.

Metropolis Rising was designed and created for the Odeon cinema, Chester in June 2000. It was funded by and produced for the Install installation festival. The installation was subsequently shown at Diversity 2000 - the power of communities conference through extra funding from PEP, the conference organisers.

The installation was constructed with the kind assistance of Dave Evans and John Smith.