Artist: David Lieske
Exhibition title: Fantôme Mains Sur
Venue: VI, VII, Oslo, Norway
Date: April 16 – May 16, 2015
Photography: images courtesy of the artist and VI, VII, Oslo
my father and i live in america now. from our highrise at the coast we can see a small island with military facilities. standing at the window we watch the departure of a big military plane (a camouflage bomber / stealth b52) it almost crashes with some euro-fighter jets which are flying around there like mad. we had read something about this in the news, although the manoeuvre is quite aggressive it has been previously announced so we’re not really worried about it. but suddenly the whole thing seems to spin out of control. from a subterranean silo a rocket blasts off heading towards a direction totally different from where the bomber went (which is an anomaly). the rocket disappears into the clouds destination unknown. there is a prompt response. coming back from the same direction, a rocket hits the facility. another rocket blasts off. war breaks out right before our eyes… so what do we do now? – we have to flee! we are very calm and considerate. i pack a suitcase. deciding what to take with me, i have no difficulty to set priorities but somehow it turns out to be tricky to squeeze all my belongings into the suitcase. our destination is hamburg – the westheide motorway junction. i put my clothes into a black getzner suitcase, plus computer, pyjamas and a blanket. i look forward to the car ride with my dad and i feel i’m well prepared. i wonder about the things i was packing and what benefits not yet revealed they will have later on our trip and already now i am pleased with the eventual surprises the items in my suitcase may contain for my father once it turns out we have just the right things at hand. no panic, no sirens. my father says “now they establish neo-liberalism on a global scale.” he flips through a issue of der spiegel that seems to support his thesis journalistically. the offshore base we can see from the car window is badly hit. flashes streak under water and the buildings on the island seem to be fatally struck – fire bursts out – the whole island sinks into the sea. though there seems to be cease- fire now i do feel a bit frightened.
-David Lieske
