Eamon O'Kane

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EAMON O'KANE

'Panorama - I like shopping centres and shopping centres like me'

'Panorama - I like shopping centres and shopping centres like me'

Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris, France

Installation in the courtyard

11 March - 19 April 09

The work comprises a 30m long black and white painting, situated in a panoramic structure. The painting reflects trees from Centre Culturel Irlandais with architectural elements from Paris as well as Le Corbusier's plans for the city. The work is not accessible from the outside and can only be seen through viewing lenses. Some of the lenses look into the panoramic painting and others look into models of imaginary installations. The lenses distort the perspective so that the epic painting looks smaller while the models appear oversized, subtly confounding the viewer's expectations of the work.

The panorama invites the viewer to look at the world in a way which is not possible in real life. Using familiar views from our surroundings, O'Kane unites architecture and nature in one structure. The spy-holes transform our perceptions of this reality, which cause the viewer to evaluate and question the world we live in.
The title of the work refers to Joseph Beuys's famous action work, 'I Like America and America Likes Me'. It explores the idea of modern urban planning and its relationship to commerce. The installation is a hybrid of two phenomena of the 19th century: 'The Cyclorama' and 'The Kaiser Panorama'. It also refers to the work of Victor Gruen, an architect who invented the shopping mall intending it as a utopian space where people could meet and shop. He gradually became disenchanted by his creation as it spread cross America.

'Panorama -- I like shopping centres and shopping centres like me' was originally concieved for an exhibition curated by Carissa Farrell at Draiocht Arts centre in Ireland in 2006. To view a PDF of the work click here.

To view the previous installation of this work at The Economist Plaza in London in Summer 2008 click here

© Eamon O'Kane 2007


'Panorama - I like shopping centres and shopping centres like me' Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris, France Installation in the courtyard 11 March - 19 April 09 The work comprises a 30m long black and white painting, situated in a panoramic structure. The painting reflects trees from Centre Culturel Irlandais with architectural elements from Paris as well as Le Corbusier's plans for the city. The work is not accessible from the outside and can only be seen through viewing lenses. Some of the lenses look into the panoramic painting and others look into models of imaginary installations. The lenses distort the perspective so that the epic painting looks smaller while the models appear oversized, subtly confounding the viewer's expectations of the work. The panorama invites the viewer to look at the world in a way which is not possible in real life. Using familiar views from our surroundings, O'Kane unites architecture and nature in one structure. The spy-holes transform our perceptions of this reality, which cause the viewer to evaluate and question the world we live in. The title of the work refers to Joseph Beuys's famous action work, 'I Like America and America Likes Me'. It explores the idea of modern urban planning and its relationship to commerce. The installation is a hybrid of two phenomena of the 19th century: 'The Cyclorama' and 'The Kaiser Panorama'. It also refers to the work of Victor Gruen, an architect who invented the shopping mall intending it as a utopian space where people could meet and shop. He gradually became disenchanted by his creation as it spread cross America. 'Panorama -- I like shopping centres and shopping centres like me' was originally concieved for an exhibition curated by Carissa Farrell at Draiocht Arts centre in Ireland in 2006. To view a PDF of the work click here. To view the previous installation of this work at The Economist Plaza in London in Summer 2008 click here