Allison Maletz

This audio installation conveys the sounds of feet assenting and descending steps. Occasionally there is labored breathing, indicating that the runners are escaping something, trying to catch something, and overworked. The audience will feel urgency, and panic, as it is hard to tell how close or far away the sounds are. Conceptually, this work grapples with the idea of solitude. We often feel most alone, when we can sense that someone else is present. The scenario references countless chase scenes in films where one person is trying to escape another in a stairwell. These powerful labyrinths seem to extend indefinitely. They have the extraordinary ability to make the pursued feel exposed and the pursuer visually concealed. While it is not mandatory, this work was designed to play as a multi channel, site-specific installation. It should be played on a loop, in a stairwell that spans at least three floors. Speakers should be placed inconspicuously on each floor, and the volume should sound real. Full Duration Unabridged: 13.16 minutes © Allison Maletz 2015