Rush of the Night
Iris Schwarz
2008, 2010
Artist Statement
Collage made in 2008, re-imagined as being printed on acrylic glass in a digital world. The material captures the light inside while highlighting certain parts, it also makes it harder to make out the whole image. It is to symbolize how first impressions are to become more focused also blur the bigger picture when you gain new information. The clear image you had in your mind gets distorted by information that suddenly doesn’t fit the image anymore.
In the original poster collage I brought to paper my, so i thought, personal clear image of a culture I barely knew. After more and more revisits to this country I tried to fit in more pieces but found that the more I knew the less it seemed to make sense to me. This moment from changing between superficial impressions of Japan to a more honest one reminded me of Osaka’s neon lights. When you look down a street you can capture the whole atmosphere. But when you focus on one specific light, try to read the sign, watch who enters or leaves, you start to truly try to understand the culture.
Artist Bio
Born in Linz, Iris Schwartz studied Media technology & Science at the University of Hagenberg. After her Bachelor Degree she moved to Germany to get an advanced degree in the field of Motion Design. During this time she lived a year in Israel and studied a semester at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design. Since 2006 she has worked as a freelance Art Director in the field of Visual Design focusing on Installations and CGI driven design.