Anna Hawkins
Projections and Observations

Projections and Observations

Projections and Observations are the first 2 films in a 3-part series entitled Constellations which considers ways that humans engage with the stars both aesthetically and ideologically.  Drawing a relationship between the cosmos and the internet, Constellations examines how, in the face of that which is vast and unknowable, (like the cosmos or the internet, for example), we look to see ourselves reflected back and attempt to project our identities out into the ether.

Projections begins at a defunct 1960’s planetarium in Canada named after Queen Elizabeth II.  A planetarium is, put simply, a domed surface upon which to project a representation of the cosmos for entertainment and educational purposes. In its exploration of projection as a both a delivery system for moving images and psychological process of imposing the internal on the external, Projections follows the history of projection, visiting La Ciotat, France, where the Lumière Brothers first projected their films, as well as the Cannes red carpet where tourists pose and imitate the “stars,” and finally a satellite station in Leuk, Switzerland where earthly communications are beamed into outer space, possibly intercepted and surveilled along the way.  Borrowing the format of a planetarium show, Projections is concerned with scale and the way that the very small often resembles the very large.

Observations documents astronomical observatories across Europe. The purpose of these facilities is the direct observation and study of the stars, however, their distinct architectural styles convey specific intentions, influences, and ideologies. This imagery is paired with online purchases and the subsequent ads and recommendations received for related items. Observations considers whether objective observation is possible online given that these spaces are often responsive and reshape themselves according to users via catered content and targeted advertisements. The disparate material in Observations is linked through a constellation of tangents and associations, some more direct than others, asking the question: can observation ever be separated from the observer?