Gino d'Artali

THE LAST SUPPER

an exhibition proposal

There is no actual concept. Rather, the installation "The Last Supper" is based on a series of associations in connection with the question of what the Last Supper would have looked like as a given and an image in 1994-'95. The latter is the only indirect reference to The Last Supper as described in the Bible. References are also made to media developments in combination and relationship with technological developments and media such as virtual reality, the internet and the so-called superhighway and in general the shifts in the nature of interpersonal communication (disorders) and/or its isolating effect.

I often don't make sketches, also because I have the image 'in my head' to begin with and - when I make sketches - I find them too inferior in quality to serve as documentation. (Something I also know from many colleagues, but this is besides the point). I can provide an image description based on the materials and disciplines used.

The installation fills the space and comprises a semi-circular table as a central part, behind which twelve chairs are arranged. Above the chairs hang 12 mirrors representing heads (M/F) surrounded by headphones. These are connected to Walkmans containing cassettes with sound loops. The sounds are recordings of news reports, talk shows, war, (beauty) commercials, exhibition opening sounds and the like. The recordings cannot be recognized in their original form. The tapes have been played continuously for approximately a month in advance, with wear causing deformation. One can listen to the tapes individually (by sitting on the chair) or in their entirety as a cacophonous sound (reference to the Tower of Babel).

There are 12 broken plaster forearms (M/F) on the table. The center piece on/on the table consists of a TV set, of which it has not yet been decided whether and what will be shown on it. I will decide on this during the further development of the installation.

The room is bathed in subdued light and the walls are partly covered with red velvet draperies.

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De Gelderlander, August 19, 1995:

The last Supper

BEUGEN - The installation The Last Supper by the Belgian artist Gino Artali can be seen until August 27 in Galerie Alarm on the Oeffeltseweg in Beugen.
d'Artali works from his studio on the Kloosterstraat in Beuningen and has previously had many exhibitions at home and abroad.