TERATEAR is an immersive video installation featuring a 360-degree digitally animated panorama. It was first exhibited in an enclosed custom-built space in the centre of the Trekhgornaya Manufaktura in Moscow, screened from six projectors onto a cylindrical structure measuring 19 meters in length. The work also has a surround sound component, further augmenting the enveloping sensory experience.
The visuals consist of a single scene — a 360-degree fly-through a cloud of technological debris suspended in a dark, zero-gravity void. Although the scene suggests the aftermath of a violent explosion, wherein metal fragments are jettisoned into deep space, the objects themselves remain in 'mint condition', their glistening chrome surfaces completely unscathed. As these sleek, branded objects spin weightlessly against a black backdrop, the setting appears reminiscent of advertisements used to sell personal electronic devices. The scene is thus situated in an ambiguous realm between a commodity-fetishising smart phone ad and a post-apocalyptic disaster scenario.
The accompanying ambient audio track sounds like a melancholic orchestral composition slowed beyond recognition. Just as sentimental music is often a key feature in commercials, evoking a sense of awe or sublimity through emotional provocation, this work makes use of similar strategies to elicit feelings of lament. Whereas tech ads often position their products as solutions to pre-existing problems, here, the scenario is more ambiguous, potentially implicating technology as a cause of disaster.
Installation Sketch
