Poursuite croisée mixte, or “Joint Crossed Pursuit,” by Michel Verjux (born 1956) consists of a large circle of light projected onto a white wall by means of two profile spotlights. Although what appears on the wall is ostensibly immaterial, the projected light—an important agent in Zen for Film as well as in Ceal Floyer’s Autofocus—draws the viewer’s attention to precisely that spot, revealing the authority of light in staging and creating spaces that may be used for performance. In Verjux’s piece, the projected light’s apparent singularity—only one circle appears on the wall—is undermined by the seamless layering of two distinct spotlights, which draws attention to the illusionistic capabilities of the apparatus and the materiality of light. Light’s qualities, such as intensity, distribution, and temperature, become more apparent. The absence of stimulating images, movement, and sound—typical components of theatrical performances—induce boredom and contemplation in viewers, provoking a heightened awareness of their bodies in space and time. —LS

Image: Collection Françoise et Jean-Philippe Billarant, Le Silo, France. Courtesy of the artist.