There are objects that have a special meaning to us. This notably goes for the toys of our childhood, which are the first objects we own. While playing with these toys, we transfer our wishes, hopes and fears into them. Children don’t make strict distinctions between objects and animate beings, they speak to their stuffed animals as if they are alive, listen to them and understand what they say. With the power of imagination a simple thing becomes a precious object with its own soul. The video work is an experiment on myself looking for an answer to the question of whether we can re-animate the special relationship we had with our ancient toys. Therefore I created a set-up to re-experience my old toys and childhood games and at the same time observe myself and record all the details of the play.
I then made a film showing toys from the past that an adult plays with. All the toys normally made for little children now seem curiously disproportionate. Somehow it feels like the toys have their own lives. Partially there is not even a human beeing at the screen. An important thing for the installation is the sound. While I played with the toys I recorded the sounds and noises that the objects made. I Mixed it together and combined it with the video recordings to create a video-sound-installation. The film has a mysterious, strange atmosphere, which is also caused by the fact that somebody is playing with a toy, whereas you just hear the noises the toys make themselves.
The 7 minutes long movie is projected under a table. The audience has to sit on the ground or to bend over to see the film. Thereby one adopts the perspective of a child‘s eyes. The subject of the term „replay“ is technical, consisting of two layers. If you record something, you have the possibility to convey and repeat it afterwards. Re-play also means play again. The project is an attempt to repeat the feeling that one has while replaying with toys from the past.
