touristic intents at IIT in Chicago

Posted by on Apr 4, 2014 in Exhibition | No Comments

An exhibition of touristic intents will be at the Small Room Gallery from April 4th – May 9th.

 

 

Small Room Gallery 
Kemper Room
Paul V Galvin Library
35 W. 33rd St, Chicago, IL 60616April 4th – May 9thReception
April 25th 4:30-6pm

Gallery Hours
8:00am to 7:00pm Monday – Friday
10:00am to 7:00pm on Saturdays
12:00 to 7:00pm on Sundays
(312) 567-3616


touristic intents
 explores the connection between mass tourism and political ideology. This body of work is centered on a case study; the never completed Nazi Resort in Prora, Germany. The mammoth site was built to house 20,000 vacationing workers after the dissolution of the unions. The intent was to use propaganda and the promise of leisure time to strengthen sympathies between the workers and the Nazi party. The site was never completed by the Nazis however the Socialist East German government completed the construction and used the building for military training and a small officers resort. Currently the building is being redeveloped with a youth hostel, apartments, condominiums and hotels.This gallery presentation includes photographs, a video projection, an outdoor audio walk set on the campus grounds and a series of forms cut of rubber in the shape of the windows and hung on the walls. The photographs are selections from a larger index of views from one section of one block of the building [135 images]. The photos contrast the found state of the view with a simulated view of the sea. The index reflects the promise of the building’s designer that each vacationer would have a room with a sea view.

The video, presented on as a projection on a wall of silk screened white boxes is an short experimental documentary which layers video and animation filmed on site with audio from interviews of state holders in the changing status of the building. Rappaport is currently editing a long form narrative documentary version.