1:1 CONNECT: DIAMONDSCOPE

An octagonal structure with an amazing shell of mirror glass stands across from the Belfry on the Market Square. Inside, there is space for one visitor and one resident of Bruges. They meet as strangers in an intimate space, can observe the people outside but are not themselves visible to onlookers. 1:1 connect is a fascinating work on the power of the gaze and on the shared use of public space. The octagonal form of the DiamondScope reflects that of the top of the Belfry. In the Middle Ages, the magnificent Belfry tower served, among other functions, as a lookout post for attackers and fires. Today, this proud monument is one of the main tourist sights of Bruges. The Market Square, the venue for the weekly Wednesday market, remains a place of lively social and economic exchange. Vibeke Jensen focuses on the interface between inside and outside, on perceptions and interactions between locals and visitors. In summer, in particular, each group vies with the other for the use of public space in the city. This installation invites them to an intimate encounter in a protected cocoon within a very public space. The form and function of the construction imitates a scope, or viewing device. The sparkling mirror surface is reminiscent of a diamond. The distorted reflections are an object of curiosity and inspire playfulness and contemplation. The deep red of the interior reinforces the sense of intimacy. Time spent inside the DiamondScope arouses a shared awareness of each other and those outside. 1:1 connect provokes thinking about watching and being watched, about the right of access to the public space, social control, and civil rights and obligations in the shared space.