Eva Maria Bouillon

House for Two (2020)

Full HD-projection, loop, 15 min.

In House for Two, the camera depicts a couple in a setting of their everyday life. At first glance, the images look like photos. A closer look at them shows slight movements - such as breathing. When one shot fades and the next one is seen, the poses and the position of the camera change. The actions in between, and the family history behind the images are not visible. So, these changes are perceived without any further context, leading the viewers to complete the story with their own interpretations.

One of the main questions in my work is how to tell a story. I’ve learned a lot about the previous generations in my family and I’m intrigued about how the same stories are told and repeated from different points of view. With this in mind, I am exploring how to detach the family events from personal experiences and tell them in a new way so the viewer can relate to them. Thus, the narration is always aimed at but leaves blank spaces to free the stories from their personal details and make it possible for others to identify. These blank spaces could be an empty or white space in photos, silences in sound and motionlessness in video shots. They all open space for interpretation and possible continuations. Collaboration with relatives and close friends – concerning their own stories – is always a starting point. But characters in my work are sometimes not identifiable, because their faces are covered or kept outside the frame. The abstract way in which certain themes are transformed into images provokes reflection and invites for further conversation.