The Fourth Wall: Stages Klaus Frahm



“The Fourth Wall” is a concept in dramatic theory, often used by actors to signify the invisible stage wall where the audience is seated to view the play. The stage is classically perceived from the audience’s perspective, where they are able to glimpse the action through a “window” into the set—"The Fourth Wall.“

In this series, the direction of the viewpoint is opposite: we take the perspective of the actor. The camera is far behind the iron curtain.



It is the camera’s specific perspective, dissolving the traditional order, which questions the hierarchy of the stage and audience. For the French philosopher Lacan, an image is a gaze pointing outward, as the light-points send out rays to the viewer. In other words, the image looks at the onlooker.



Here, the space reserved for the audience becomes flat, like a postcard, and the real space of the theater, the stage, is explored in many directions. The camera looks up, taking note of the scaffolding and lighting structures: the mechanics of the space. Thus, we become aware of a workspace hidden behind the red velvet curtain. The contrast between backstage machinery and the sea of velvet seats is exciting.

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