Basia Baumann
Follow Me - Disobey
I was invited to be part of a group show in Oaxaca during ‘Día de los Muertos’, Mexico’s
‘festival of the dead’. It’s a time when Mexicans celebrate their dead ancestors. In Mexican
culture, death plays a big role in life. The dead ancestors will always be a part of the families’
lives. Being in this environment made it easy for me to contemplate death.
Why did I call the project ‘Follow me – Disobey’?
We’re all told to follow our parents, teachers, colleagues, and our boss. Following an
alternative path is frowned upon in our society. To be different is not a common goal. But if
you only have a few hours left to live… suddenly everything is possible.
Every minute becomes precious (The Beauty of Death).
So if someone tells you ‘Follow me’, you shouldn’t blindly obey. Reflect first on what you really want, and if you feel like you should disobey - do it. Only you know what you really want. Every person is different, and to be different is beautiful.
The altar in the film is a two-piece mirror. On the top is an LED sign that blinks and says “Follow me.” People are attracted by the blinking sign and this invitation. After all, it’s an easy way to live, just following others. These ‘followers’ are forced to meet their reflection in the mirror - they’re confronted with themselves.
If someone says follow me, it means you should disobey, and follow yourself.
There is also a hidden second mirror overlaying the first one. Its size is 61.2 cmÇ. (This dimension is a recurring theme in my work. For me it symbolises the minimum space a human needs. Just as Hitchcock always has a cameo in his movies, I like to insert myself into my own projects too).