Ossea
Karosta [LV] - Video

Short movie about the possible heritage of the bones found on a beach on the Westcoast of Latvia.

Technique
Video: Digitaal

Context
"During a previous trip to Karosta in August, 2002, Derek Holzer happened upon a beach covered in bones. The origin of these bones is unknown, but several possibilities exist:

1) Large mammals, such as a cow, horse, whale or dolphin.
2) Drowned sailors from a sunken shipping vessel off the coast.
3) Murdered Jews from the Second World War.
4) Iraqi refugees who didn't survive the passage to Sweden.

Prior to the residency, we have considered each of these possibilities as equally valid. To us, Karosta represents a location with rich historical significance, and one which embodies many of the dilemnas faced by those who would create "objective" chronicals of a place, time or people. For every single event, there are so many inherently contradictory personal testimonies that a single version cannot ever be realistically constructed from them. Our residency in Latvia will consist of research into the possible origins of these bones via social, scientific and artistic means. We will work closely with local historians, artists and residents to extract an identity from each of the bones found. In this way, the bones do not represent abstracted classes of people, but rather have their own individual personalities. The results will be presented as a CD and DVD, with the possibility of future performances of the material in a live setting."

From --> http://karosta.net

january 2003