Forgotten Ocean from Therese Lahaie on Vimeo.
Therese Lahaie: An invitation came from the Glass Museum in Ebeltoft, Denmark to exhibit my kinetic sculptures involving light projections through glass as part of a show titled Ocean. I wanted the piece to connect with the town of Ebeltoft, and found that it is the port city of Fregatten Jylland, the longest wooden ship in the world. At 233 feet or 71 meters long, it is the royal Danish Navy’s last warship built of wood. Her carved figurehead is the Norse goddess Ran, whose beauty ensured the safe passage of the ship. Launched in 1860, it is the perfect representation of the transition from sail to steam power. Combining square rigging, as well as a steam engine. Drawing on recent explorations for public art projects utilizing video projection through large sheets of architectural glass, I imagined a way of filling the gallery space with moving light as a medium for the mythology and grandeur of historic ships. To bring this vision to fruition, I worked with videographer, Tina Toriello.
Tina Toriello: The images are multiply transformed. First, in the video editing process, and again through the projection, reflection and refraction through glass creating an imaginary landscape. The color changes of the ship mirrors Tibetan prayer flags, which like the sails of a great ship carry aspirations and intentions.
Therese: What are the dreams that ships dream? Do they dream of forgotten oceans?
Tina: Our ship is a phantom ship. With her face ever sailing in infinite oceans, in a dream-like world.
Therese: I grew up in Boston, with its great tradition of sailing ships and worked at the U.S.S. Constitution Museum. Old Ironsides, built in 1797, is the older sister of Fregatten Jylland. My intention was to use glass and light to make a personal connection to the Ebeltoft community, as well as addressing the vastness of the ocean theme.
Featured image Scent of Incense. Video production and photography Tina M. Toriello. Music composed and performed by Ben Neill.