Wall of Death

In the carnival act Wall of Death a motorcyclist rides around the inside of a wooden drum, maintaining a delicate state of equilibrium between centrifugal force and gravity. The action is shot with a rotating camera mounted in the center of the drum as well as on a motorcycle tracking behind the rider. The shots were edited into a series of motion loops that become progressively shorter, creating the appearance of continuous motion.

The editing technique was inspired by the Kinetoscope films popular during the time the act was widely performed in the 1930’s. The rider appears caught in a never-ending circle where his ability to remain upright is based on never stopping. Wall of Death explores the relation between time and speed in a world dependent on constant motion.

Single-channel video. Black and white, sound. 2m40s.