2008/SEP/19/15/23min

The moment of no return in climate change
7 channel video installation, length: 6min loop
shown at “UNIDEE in progress 2008”, Fondazione Pistoletto, Biella/Italy

Recent scientific scenarios and studies deal with a possible point of no return for climate change, a point after which the earth population must continue on their current course of action, because turning back seems to be impossible. The renowned Wegener Center for Climate and Global Change (Graz) predicted in their ECONCLIM study from 2006 an “irrepealable climate collapse” for the second half of 2008. Christoph Schwarz asked them to specify their prognosis for this point of no return down to a very precise moment - an unknown procedure for serious science but of course feasible to compute. Working with the same figures, the Wegener Center came up with a precise date, hour and minute. 

The small city of Biella seemed to be the ideal place to grasp this moment of no return and document its occurrence. Besides the recent years’ recession in its textile industry, the big world has no strong impact on this city, which is a nice place to lead a moderate life at a moderate pace. The video installation 2008/SEP/19/15/23min consists of 7 simultaneous recordings of everyday streetlife in Biella, captured exactly 3 minutes before and after the predicted point of no return – which is indicated by the cameras’ in-build date and time function, thus transforming daily routine into a shocking document of indifference and serenity.

(from the publication “UNIDEE in Progress 2008”)