Episode 5

Edition of 4 + 2 AP

Dimensions: 164cm x 100cm
Archival pigment print, 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. With his socially engaged tableaux Hardy studies the complexity and coherence of today’s pressing issues. In the creation of these worlds Hardy fuses his imagination, observations, personal memories and true events. Every Episode has its own topic, such as conspiracy thinking (Episode 11), modern working conditions (Episode 9, Free Delivery), racial profiling (Episode 6, On Guard) and gender roles (Episode 4 and 5, Cinema Il Sogno).

Vivarium is an ongoing project, started in 2018. Every world you see once existed in Hardy’s studio. For each Episode, he meticulously designs, builds and photographs a new world. Hardy creates meaningful narratives through the use of characters, objects and their composition. The final works are full of detail and displayed life-size - one-to-one - in a window frame, sparking a direct encounter between the viewer and subject. 

It takes 3 to 4 months to complete a tableau. 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.

In addition, Vivarium Self-Portraits provide a glimpse into Hardy’s constructed worlds and working-method. They are rooted in his urge to understand and empathize with his characters.