13th Biennale of Sydney (2002): (The World May Be) Fantastic: Artist: Susan Hiller Artwork: Witness year: 2000 Size: Approx 275 x 355" Materials: 400 speakers, wiring, steel structure, 10 CD players, switching equipment, lights; suspended from ceiling and walls Susan Hiller's artwork. Witness, is an audio installation. It consists of multiple lights and speakers suspended on wires from the ceilings and walls.
The speakers play recordings of various languages.Visitors walk around the hanging components that wing and at times, bang each other as they are magnetically stuck and rotated.These certain materials were used to create a place where the audience will feel like they are In another world; nowhere close to Earth. They are forced to think about their surroundings and wander around feeling alienated. By glance, Witness by Susan Hiller has an extra-terrestrial effect. When you pay more attention and begin to listen to the audio Installation you realise that there are many human voices that are from different news broadcasts and are In various languages.
The audience can work out that they are all eye-witnesses of extra-terrestrial sightings (or they can read this on the exhibition guide).Susan Hiller is trying to communicate to us how the world is changing. Maybe even too fast for our understanding. Our bio-technology and science is advancing and the people of the world cannot keep up with it. The extra-terrestrial effect that the artwork gives us depicts how unknown the world has become to us.
The atmosphere that Hiller creates makes the viewer feel isolated as the room is wide and the floor is empty.The only thing heard is the various voices being played. The blue light emphasises a sense of alienation within the artwork. This artwork tells the audience about the science and technology that Is quickly advancing In our society and also tells them the views that people present about the extra-terrestrial world.
Hiller makes us aware of our changing world through Witness and the viewer is left amazed yet in thought about the meaning behind it.
