wideo, 4’
1985
In Nearer – Farther, Robakowski records the view from the window of his flat, the same from which footage for From My Window was captured over the years. Zoom manipulations mean that in close-ups the black rectangle against the window turns out to be a mirror propped up against the windowpane, reflecting an image of the artist standing behind a tripod-mounted camera. Commands issued to the camera (‘Zoom in!’, ‘Zoom out!’) cause his reflection to disappear and reappear again. This seemingly analytical work on the camera’s technical capabilities turns into a kind of game played with the artist’s own image: directing the lens outside, beyond the window, Robakowski in effect films himself filming. Dedicated to the then-defunct Workshop of the Film Form, the video is an auto-ironic reminiscence on the analytical explorations of the 1970s. Issuing the zoom commands with utter seriousness, the filmmaker presents a not-unfunny image that brings to mind the iconic shot from Dziga Vertov’s Man with a Movie Camera.
