Episode 5

Edition of 4 + 2 AP

Dimensions: 164cm x 100cm
Transparency in light-box, custom glass panel with cutouts, tabernacle window frame

EPISODE SYNOPSIS

Cinema Il Sogno - Italian for The Dream - opens its doors to a world of desire that too often stays hidden behind the curtains. As daylight fades, the interior lights switch on. A young woman released Andrea as the night shift started. She shrouds the burning red interior with smoke. Her sleek eyeliner and red nail polish embody the Italian movie stars of the 1960s who only exist on the silver screen. However, if we were to believe the reflection in the doorknob behind her, it appears we have entered Andrea's inner world instead.

How do we give in to our deepest desires if they conflict with society’s norm? Episode 5 is an homage to people who are true to their identity - whether the curtains are open or closed. It is the sequel to Episode 4. Together, they constitute one world in opposite appearances: from day to night, and from reality to desire.

VIVARIUM

Vivarium is an ongoing series of constructed dioramas, called Episodes. In the creation of these worlds Hardy fuses his imagination, personal memories and true events into ‘purposeful fiction’. Together, Vivarium’s Episodes explore the coherence and complexity of our zeitgeist.

For each Episode, Hardy designs, builds and photographs a new world in his studio. His photomontages are shown life-size - one-to-one - in a lightbox with a window frame, resulting in hyper-realistic works that spark a direct encounter between the viewer and the subject. 

As Hardy places one or more characters in a meticulously arranged setting, he merges ambivalent, melancholic scenes of private moments in the public, with social issues such as conspiracy thinking, racial profiling, and pre-defined gender identities. By addressing a different topic in each Episode while applying a consistent working method, Vivarium is an expanding multiverse of portals where life takes place.

Each constructed tableau takes 3 to 4 months to complete. Vivarium is an ongoing project that Hardy started in 2018.