Interactive installation
by Lilia Pérez Romero
Programmed by: Eduardo Meléndez
Commissioned by : MARCO / Museum of Contemporary Art, Monterrey, Mexico.
This is a short and straightforward piece that could be considered a kind of visual haiku or an instant poetic experience. When she approaches the piece, the viewer finds a window overlooking a seemingly dark space. To achieve the correct height and be able to look through the window, she must stand on a small wooden crate. This action is the one that actually triggers the program and begins the experience. When the user looks through the window, she sees a field crossed by the railroad tracks that get lost in the skyline. As if her presence had been anticipated by the computer, a train starts to approach. When the train finally reaches the point where the viewer stands, it advances past her without stopping. The train windows appear as the frames of a movie and it is possible to distinguish a passenger inside. The speed at which the train travels would make it impossible to tell the identity of the passengers, but the same face is repeated in every window, retinal persistence allows the viewer to recognize herself exact moment when the train departs and escapes her stolen image.