Pathos

Pathos, one-channel video with sound, 15:00 min, 2007

Pathos, a video piece by Ofri Cnaani, resituates an ancient Greek drama within a modern urban context. Exploring the theatrical potential of the urban space, Pathos investigates the relationship between architecture and narrative, seeking to dissolve spatial distinctions between reality and mythical spaces.

In constructing this contemporary tale, Cnaani combines recurring refrains from the Odyssey with four chapters and the dramatic climax of the myth of Hercules. In keeping with the artist’s continued interest in gender and gender reversal, the valiant hero of antiquity becomes the “remarkable heroine.” Her story is told by a chorus (situated on a downtown rooftop), which functions as an “elevated arena,” while the action – her labors – unfold in the streets of the city.

In this contemporary setting the protagonist emerges as both heroic and pathetic, as she tries to survive within the city, which becomes the work’s antagonist. The video describes the woman’s trials and tribulations through a phobic and poetic journey in a city, which – like the woman – is in an eternal post-traumatic state, caused by the endless mechanisms of supervision, surveillance and control. As the city becomes more and more “secure”, its hold on its inhabitants becomes tighter. When security increases Pathos’s protagonist becomes increasingly horrified and insecure, causing her to embark on a life saving journey. Along the way Cnaani activates the space between the screen and the imagination, between the inner trauma and the actual mega-city.