00h03m
Laser print on paper
8.5 x 11 in
Jaspal Birdi, 2017
19h12m
Photo-transfer and watercolour on wall, paper remains on floor
138 x 224 cm
Jaspal Birdi, 2019
Reflecting on diverse systemic barriers, limits, and faults, my “artificial” frescoes began as a personal response to an inevitable collapse. Inspired by the ordinary window like views depicted in Pompeian frescoes—now degraded, some restored—their surfaces represent the natural fall of society and the cycle of collapse. Often viewed negatively for the loss of a past life, a collapse is however the turning point for innovation. The moment to re-evaluate, re-organize and transform.
When not installed, "19h12m" is a work that materially bares no weight. Existing on a cloud/drive, it is one which can be installed on a wall by virtually anyone through a set of certified instructions. The superficial outcome is varied by the hands of the installer—there is no “perfect” version. The surface becomes a window to contemplate natural instincts towards errors and imperfections. Temporary and/or permanent, questions of permanence, preservation, and restoration/transformation are purposefully up for discussion.
The image—two tennis balls caught in a chain-link fence—was captured using my iPhone, and printed with a laser printer which I have hacked. One which yields unpredictable results that recall the aesthetics of handmade frescoes, watercolours, and pencil drawings. The original photo print (A4) is scanned and enlarged in pieces. These pieces are then printed and transferred directly onto a wall using white gesso, similar to how pigments are painted onto wet plaster.
19h12m exhibited at ViaFarini Artist Residency
Milan, Italy 2019
Documentation credit: Valerio Torrisi
19h12m exhibited at Villa Brandolini - Fondazione Francesco Fabbri
Pieve di Soligo, Italy 2021
Documentation credit: Gerda Studio