DRILL# 0001 (Open pit well exit), Installation, variable dimensions, 2011. Asphalt, iron, PVC, industrial paint, gravel, oil, sounds.

 

I use these materials to evoke the open-air space of oil wells, as well as the industrial and urban furniture that surrounds oil installations and developments. Gravel, frequently used to cover the ground around wells, drills, rockers, and tanks, is also found in domestic or institutional spaces such as gardens, playgrounds, clubs, and schools. On the surface of the oil arranged on a metal plate, the image of my body is projected going up and down a ladder, along with a fast-motion sequence of a sunrise. A mix of sounds, including birds’ sounds, wells in action, drills, and boat engines, sets the mood in the space. The two-coloured pipes (yellow and black), characteristic of oil installations and developments, are used to delimit public access and risk areas. As the audience approaches the piece, they can also see their reflection in the oil. This work represents the intersection between the body and the industrial landscape, inviting the viewer to reflect on the relationship between the human being and the environment they inhabit. Through sensory experience, I seek to highlight the ambivalence of oil as a symbol of progress and destruction, as well as the impact of the industry on our lives and the environment. By seeing their own reflection in the oil, the audience becomes part of this narrative, confronting the reality of their own existence in a world marked by the exploitation of natural resources.