Beneath / Suspicion

‘Beneath / Suspicion'

Materials: Pallet wood, nightlights, white sheets, kiln-burned pine tar, wax, muslin, bedspring, incense

Variable Dimensions; Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120’L

2013

All Images courtesy of Gordon Pellegrinetti

 

A fully-immersive installation in which the viewer is invited to experience from both inside and outside the physical structure. The architecture embodies an oneiric escape tunnel of an ambiguous psychogeographical locale. The participant moves through the confined tunnel space in a supine position, laying upon a wooden ‘creeper’ cart. The outward appearance (of the system) suggests a strange, nearly anthropomorphic oddity or contraption with serpentine tunnel, vertical and horizontal protuberances, quasi-periscopic extensions, and surrounded by tall scale-model POW guard towers. The intended viewer experience is one of continuous disorientation, multi-sensory immersion, and spatial uncertainty. Themes of subterranea, evasion, surveillance, sleep, dream, and the unconscious weave throughout all aspects of the work. A continuous audio loop plays a distorted excerpt from the classic film ‘The Great Escape’ in which a POW Camp escape tunnel is methodically planned listing site locations, tunnel specifications, and subdivision of labor assignments. The overall aesthetic vocabulary of the work conveyed an austere, utilitarian, and quasi-militaristic sensibility.

 

Beneath / Suspicion

Excerpts from the Notebook of T.D.H. Castle-Tunnel Master 2nd Class

 

Tunnel Manifesto

 

The Tunnel is a feat of Subversive Engineering

 

It is an open act of Rebellion in Defiance of a Monolithic Enemy

 

 Outwardly it dons a peculiar yet unassuming presence; meanwhile its Interior is rife with Diligent Agency directed toward a Desperate Bid for the Forest of Freedom

 

 It is a design of Audacious Construction achieved through Remorseless Guile focused upon a single aim

 

The Tunnel is a means by which Escape is facilitated-yet it is filled with reminders of what Is being fled

 

The Tunnel is an Ephemeral Entity-It cannot be dwelled-in permanently for it then becomes a Catacomb

 

Despite Crushing Odds against its survival by the Ever-Vigilant Foe It must maintain its Noble Trajectory

 

The Tunnel Is Lined with Intention and Padded with Vigor

 

So It Is that the Artist/Excavator must Burrow Her/His way to Liberation from the constraints of Both External & Internal Ever-Vigilant, Tireless

Societal Super-Egos

 

To Evade Oppressive Forces, the Artist/ Burrower must don an unassuming façade & perform the Expected Rites- but all the while daily toiling in the subterranean trenches that lead to Liberation

 

The Tunnel System is traversed by Kindred

 

‘Beneath / Suspicion'  Overall Panoramic View Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track. Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120

‘Beneath / Suspicion' Overall Panoramic View

Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track.

Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120’L

2013

Image credits: Gordon Pellegrinetti.

‘Beneath / Suspicion'  Detail at Canopy Bed Entrance Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track. Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x appr

‘Beneath / Suspicion' Detail at Canopy Bed Entrance

Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track.

Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120’L

2013

Image credits: Gordon Pellegrinetti.

‘Beneath / Suspicion'  Viewer Orientation Detail Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track. Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx.

‘Beneath / Suspicion' Viewer Orientation Detail

Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track.

Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120’L

2013

Image credits: Gordon Pellegrinetti.

‘Beneath / Suspicion'  Tunnel View Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track. Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120’L 2013

‘Beneath / Suspicion' Tunnel View

Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track.

Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120’L

2013

Image credits: Gordon Pellegrinetti.

‘Beneath / Suspicion' Interior Detail w/ Viewer & Cart Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track. Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H

‘Beneath / Suspicion' Interior Detail w/ Viewer & Cart

Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track.

Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120’L

2013

Image credits: Mark J. Snyder

‘Beneath / Suspicion'  Detail at Church Aisle Vignette Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track. Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x ap

‘Beneath / Suspicion' Detail at Church Aisle Vignette

Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track.

Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120’L

2013

Image credits: Gordon Pellegrinetti.

‘Beneath / Suspicion'  Detail at Fleshy Vortex Vignette Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track. Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x a

‘Beneath / Suspicion' Detail at Fleshy Vortex Vignette

Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track.

Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120’L

2013

Image credits: Gordon Pellegrinetti.

‘Beneath / Suspicion'  Detail at Camp 104 Vignette Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track. Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx

‘Beneath / Suspicion' Detail at Camp 104 Vignette

Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track.

Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120’L

2013

Image credits: Gordon Pellegrinetti.

‘Beneath / Suspicion'  Detail at Periscope #1 Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track. Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120

‘Beneath / Suspicion' Detail at Periscope #1

Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track.

Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120’L

2013

Image credits: Gordon Pellegrinetti.

‘Beneath / Suspicion'  Detail at Periscope #1 Vignette-Floorburst Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track. Tunnel Portion- 3’W x

‘Beneath / Suspicion' Detail at Periscope #1 Vignette-Floorburst

Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track.

Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120’L

2013

Image credits: Gordon Pellegrinetti.

‘Beneath / Suspicion'  Detail at Tunnels' End Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track. Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120

‘Beneath / Suspicion' Detail at Tunnels' End

Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track.

Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120’L

2013

Image credits: Gordon Pellegrinetti.

‘Beneath / Suspicion'  Detail at Exit Structure Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track. Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 1

‘Beneath / Suspicion' Detail at Exit Structure

Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track.

Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120’L

2013

Image credits: Gordon Pellegrinetti.

‘Beneath / Suspicion'  Detail Showing Viewer Emergence Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track. Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x ap

‘Beneath / Suspicion' Detail Showing Viewer Emergence

Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track.

Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120’L

2013

Image credits: Gordon Pellegrinetti.

‘Beneath / Suspicion'  Detail at Exterior Guard Tower Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track. Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x app

‘Beneath / Suspicion' Detail at Exterior Guard Tower

Wood framing, oak pallet wood, drapery, nightlights, kiln-burned pine tar, incense, muslin. glass view lenses, fiberglas insulation, audio track.

Tunnel Portion- 3’W x 2’-8”H x approx. 120’L

2013

Image credits: Gordon Pellegrinetti.

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