Displaced Movement: Body & Image in the Holographic Works of Simone Forti

This thesis considers Simone Forti’s holographic works (c. 1976) and their potential to create a conditional interaction between image and viewer that is activated through movement. By investigating several theoretical models of time and how image capturing technologies mediate our perception, I will underscore how Forti’s use of holography evokes a corporeal presence and simultaneous absence. The movement of the image is contingent on the physical motion of the viewer, producing an interconnected relationship between work and spectator that is dependent, yet fluid. However, the image created in the hologram is both illusionistic and, in important ways, irreal; for Forti’s body floats in the viewer’s space without borders, ground, or traditional gravity. Furthermore, this writing will situate how Forti’s holographic series builds upon her earlier dances and debate how the illusion of dimensionality renders a suitable image for preserving or archiving performance.