by Joseph Sutton

(Photo: via Brooklyn Arts Council)

Scene: Brooklyn kicked off on May 5 with an event that turned heads and caught attention by both unsuspecting wanderers in DUMBO and – it was rumored – the NYPD.

Intra-Structure, projected onto the inside of the archway where Adams and Water Streets meet, was a multi-media collaboration between Brooklyn-based composer Aerostatic (Terry Golob) and video artist vade (Anton Marini.)

The performance was the first event in the Scene: Brooklyn festival, organized by the Brooklyn Arts Council, running until May 12.

Approaching the darkened and nearly-empty archway before the show began held the atmosphere of a suspense or horror film as Aerostatic’s sometimes foreboding, yet hypnotic, sound mixing permeated the air in a few blocks’ radius. The electronic soundtrack echoed well alongside the occasional ruckus of the subway trains above, as well as attracted those curious in the area. At 8 o’clock the real show began when two twin images appeared projected in the tunnel, portraying glitchy, dreamlike video mashed up to accompany the music in real-time.

The performance created an experience not just confined to the rectangular frames of the images; rather, the entire archway and what could be seen outside of it became its own confusing, surreal scene: those “outside” ventured in to see where the sounds came from, the music danced with DUMBO’s aural ambience, and headlights of passing cars brightened and enhanced the video.

While viewers just passing through the archway were courteous to not block the projections by ducking low and running past, it would have been interesting to see an unexpected silhouette, appear, adding chance for the audience to interact with a performance that so heavily built off its environment. While doing so might have seemed taboo, given the performance’s invasive nature that was, in a way, like graffiti, it almost begged for public interaction of some sort.

It was certainly smart to open the film festival with Intra-Structure for its ability to demonstrate a contemporary shift in film arts, one that abandons narrative to instead grant an immerse experience to the viewer while leaving its own ephemeral mark as well as new possibilities being explored in the digital age. And because of its loud and outrageous presence, Aerostatic and vade were able to spread awareness of Scene: Brooklyn at a crucial time on its first night.