A repetitive, hummed song is the first thing that draws your attention; it immediately sucks you into the enigmatic work ‘Adrift’. Over and above the humming the viewer sometimes hears a high singing voice, which flies up above the rest like an angel, searching for a melody. This is accompanied by images of sitting people, immersed in their own thoughts, differing in age and background. They constitute a group, but in a vague kind of way. What binds them together is the fact that they are rocking along with the sound, as if the humming came from them – but just like their eyes, their mouths are closed. Nor does it look as if anyone is aware of the sounds, or conscious of himself. The image is filled with bodies, swaying, seemingly endlessly, on waves of…sound. But perhaps the rocking is caused by something else – a ride on a bumpy road, for example, or dropping off during a lecture. Asleep, in a fuddle or trance – they look as if they are miles away. Only one or two people look into the camera or are gazing thoughtlessly ahead of themselves.

Netherlands Media Art Institute, Esma Moukhtar Read more...