Love Parade of the Dead (2011) SPATIAL INSTALLATION

6 images, 206 words, 02.05.2023

This work refers to the Love Parade 2010 in the city of Duisburg, at which 21 people died as an effect of a mass panic caused by malorganized exit routes of the event site. Police images of the dead bodies outlines build the basis for a floor covering carpet like piece out of grey felt and golden foil. Additionally there was a single turntable with costume-made vinyl record that played a specially composed music inside the exhibition space. Exactly one year after the Love Parade in Duisburg this work was presented for the first time in July 2011. The year before when watching the Love Parade festivities ‘live’ on TV the change from the cheerful and happy event to celebrate techno music to a horrifying and sad “parade of death” was significant. This turning point set the idea for this work. The "soundtrack" from the record starts with a dark toned slow beat. Further on the music accelerates and a piano is combined to the rhythmic part that creates an atmosphere of silent despair. The work is not merely a critical comment on mass festivities, it is an (artistic) translation of this sad event and its aftermath. This installation was shown in a gallery space in Berlin Mitte.