Front Windows

Hendricks is one of GermanyÂ’s leading conceptual artists whose works often address the theme of contemporary urban life - the notion of property, the isolation of the individual and the fear of random violence. This video work depicts an apartment block where the 200 window panes are smashed, one by one. The tension created by periods of silence is shattered by the sound of breaking glass and the secondary crash of the shards hitting the unseen street below. The image of the building is transformed from viability to dereliction by an act of orchestrated violence. Hypnotic, cathartic and disturbing, it offers a dystopian view of the urban landscape. Birmingham and Walsall art galleries are working together to build up a collection exploring the metropolis and urban environment under the Art Fund International scheme. Presented by the Art Fund through Art Fund International.