georg klein : : sonic parole

For the project sonic parole advertisement slogans with a revolutionary touch were collected, slogans which proclaim a better world, a change of thinking and the art of living. Individuality, self-fulfilling, freedom: "Just do it!" (Nike). 40 years after 1968 the revolutionary political slogans and icons are used by the marketing of the global brands to produce a "radical chic". The heads of Che Guevara and Karl Marx are just sales promotion. In 1948 the ad for tampons "be a rebel" by Tampax was in a real emancipatory fashion while now it's an expression of a pseudo rebellious youth. Even anti-globalization slogans like "No Logo" (Naomi Klein) are immediately used for product advertisment: "Be your own brand" (FreeSoul).

For the installation sonic parole these advertisement slogans are shown as isolated messages without the related products at the media facade of the new O2-World in Berlin (actually the biggest in Europe, with 120m x 12 m, but only 585 x 60 pixels). Because of the low number of pixels and the super wide screen the video must be handled in a special way.
The slogan texts are animated acoustically by transforming the type face according to their acoustical rhythm. The messages dissolve in their own sound producing visual ornaments. And the O2 media facade becomes a revolutionary propaganda screen, shooting pseudo-radical slogans into public space.

For every location a site-specific version of the video is made, regarding format and context.