Sofie Santos
she/her
1997
sofiesantos.com
Thesis: Fluidity of Time: The years drip, the drips merge together
"The Softest Hard" is a video installation related to the topic of sleeplessness. It is based on a deeply personal experience of a period where a fear of not being able to fall asleep led to painfully laying awake throughout the night. The installation consists of a several sculptures in metal and glass, as well as two short films with surround sound. The sculptures capture the vulnerability of the bed, a space which should feel safe that has transformed into a place of violence. The films poetically depicts a surrender to being awake, an observation of the play between darkness and light that come alive at night. With long, still shots resembling moving photography, the perception of time slows down. In contrast to the harshness of the sculptures, the films invite the viewer to a moment of stillness. The project aims to reflect the psychological and physical tension that arises in the boundless, in-between-state of sleeplessness. Beyond traditional narratives, it conveys a sensitivity and presence through a sensory atmosphere, which reminds us of our fragility.
