SIGN LANGUAGE

Amsterdam is like a theatre. All citizens and tourist are actors playing their part. The choreography is regulated by a claustrophobic infrastructure and a complex network of economic concerns. Untill recently the amtosphere in the centre was mostly dependent on its glorious past. This nostalgic character changed dramaticly due to the construction of the subway; the ‘Noord-Zuid lijn’ (A new subway that crosses the hart of the city centre). Everywhere you look you see buildingsites, constructionworkers, trucks, traffic controllers etc. The city is moving. Its fundaments are literally shaking. The dynamic processes that are going on, are changing the static and nostalgic image of the city. The new landscape of buildingsites, diversions and machines is contrasting the esthetic decor. Even though there are many complains, people on the streets are visible intrigued by this attractive spectacle. They watch the complex actions of the constructionworkers on a daily base. These men are working on a stage. They are the new stars in the latest episode of the theatreplay.

We made two video’s of the signlanguage of constructionworkers and traffic controllers. Their gestures are regulating a lot of the the enormous actions that are taken place. We isolated this subtle level of communication from its context by inviting the constructionworkers into a studio and ask them to perform their signlanguage. We placed the images back in their context by projecting them on a big wall next to one of the construction sites in the city centre.