For UNDER SCAN, thousands of “video-portraits” taken in Derby, Leicester, Lincoln, Northampton and Nottingham (UK) will be projected onto the ground of the main squares and pedestrian thoroughfares of the cities. At first, the portraits will not be visible because the space will be flooded by white light. As people walk around the area, their shadow will be cast on the floor, revealing the video-portraits.

The video sequences begin with the subjects in a still position turned away from the camera. As they appear within pedestrians’ shadows, their bodies move and their heads turn to look straight at the pedestrian. When a shadow moves away from a portrait, the portrait likewise reacts by losing interest and looking away.

A project by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer.

See it at Lincoln: Nov. 25 to Dec. 4; Leicester: Jan. 13-22, 2006; Northampton: Feb. 3-12, 2006; Derby: Feb. 24 to March 5, 2006 and Nottingham: March 17-26, 2006.

Via Mirjam Struppek.