Auto Focus, 2002 by Ceal Floyer

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Auto Focus, consisting of a carousel slide projector pointed at a wall, endlessly going through its automatic process of focusing its projection. However, there is no carousel to display slides and therefore there is nothing to project except the projector’s own light. The viewer’s automatic response is to focus on the illuminated projection glowing on the wall as this is where one usually looks when viewing a slide presentation. Auto Focus is more than just the light. It is a sculpture, or more specifically, a readymade that was purchased. It’s almost human in its perseverance at its futile task and it is a lot like most of us who follow instructions exactly as prescribed until an artist like Floyer comes along and challenges our perception by directing our gaze in unexpected directions.

Source: Ceal Floyer at MoCA Museum of Contemporary Art Miami – Artmap.com