Johanna Terhechte inquires into camera movement and motion sequences in relation to the viewer’s physical sensation in cinematic and exhibition spaces. This project specifically examines camera shots within the space of a hotel, which functions as both a metaphor and a research site — a space of fiction, a vessel. The project unfolds in three phases: it begins with field studies in various hotels, followed by a collaborative workshop exploring camera movement in a reconstructed hotel space, and concludes with a screening and discussion of related video works, alongside a presentation of the workshop outcome in a hotel room in Zurich.
How does the camera (as a body) move in a confined space? How does this relate to the movement of the filmed object or the dramaturgy of the architecture? Can a rectangular space be made to appear circular? What physical sensation unfolds over duration?
My aim is to gain a deeper understanding of the emotional and atmospheric effect of motion sequences, exploring the potential for narrative development at a point where narrative is deliberately omitted and formal aspects of movement take centre stage.
My body responds to what I experience in space, and my thoughts move with what I see, within and towards images. This makes me feel at ease; I often have a deep emotional reaction to long tracking shots or circular camera movements. Constant movement creates a sense of suspense, and I am drawn to stretching it out in time. I want to learn to navigate this physical experience, but also to share and discuss it with others.
The architecture of a hotel shapes how the camera can move, while the movement of the camera determines how we perceive the depicted space. The repetitive grid of rooms creates a possible loop. In the first phase, I will visit and explore hotels in various cities with my camera.
In the second phase, the filmed material serves as the basis for a collaborative workshop with stage designer Lea Burkhalter, filmmaker and cinematographer Adrian Witzel. If the dramaturgy of architecture determines the formal structure of filming, what changes when we design the spatial limitations ourselves? We will reconstruct the filmed architecture in a provisional set: a confined space resembling a hotel room, staircase, or narrow hallway, mirrored and limited, yet seemingly endless, and explore different sequences of movement to develop video drafts. The outcome is open.
Working with a stage designer offers a new perspective on spatial limitations. My filming style is hectic and closely related to my boden, I often use a handheld camera. While the filmed space is limited, my camera seems out of control. Through this project, I want to confront this intuitive approach with a more structured way of filming, which is why I am interested in collaborating with a cinematographer.
Phase three presents the research and workshop outcomes in a screening at a hotel in Zurich, complemented by a collaborative text and a conversation with architect Lieselotte Düsterhus and curator Franca Zitta. The event will include a program of selected films and video works. The screening in a hotel room situates the two-dimensional medium in a new space—detached from, yet connected with the place depicted.
The cinematic perspective often remains separated from the discourse on moving image in fine arts. My research situates itself in the field of moving images and installation, exploring questions beyond the conventional cinematic frame. I see the IfCAR grant as an opportunity to further delve into these questions and to open them up to interdisciplinary exchange.
Grantee
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Johanna Terhechte |
Project partner/ cooperations |
Franca Zitta, Lea Burkhalter, Adrian Witzel, Lieselotte Düsterhus
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Dates and places
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February to September 2026, Zurich, Berlin, Cologne, Paris
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Weblink
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johannaterhechte.de
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