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Detroit:City On The Move 1965, 2011 is an algorithmically deconstructed video. The algorithm splices two propaganda films from the same era together. One is a positive propaganda film about Detroit and I adopted its title for the work. The film is full of unbridled optimism for the future of Detroit. The second film, The Terrible Truth, is about the dangers of drug use and the direct link to crime and immoral activities.
The algorithm mashes up the films, but knows nothing of their content. The meaning of the work depends on the viewer's preconceptions about Detroit and which particular images in the video happen to appear in juxtaposition to the audio track. The video is altered dynamically so tough the work loops endlessly, no two iterations are the same.
The Detroit of today is a far cry from the mid-century vision for the future of the city. The audio track from Detroit:City On The Move is particularly poignant given the context of contemporary Detroit.