The Cinescope is conceived as a spectacular viewing device to reframe and reimagine the "extra-ordinary" narratives of cinema and the London canal: It literally weaves together water reflections and cinema projections, and simultaneously references the industrial forms of tunnels and mills along the canal, and the art deco aesthetic of old movie palaces.
Operating between a kaleidoscope, a periscope, and a camera obscura, the Cinescope mediates between closed and open forms in order to frame different screens/views in 4 states (0, 45, 90 and 180 degrees open). When moving the boat appears as an elegant floating compact box; the act of its opening is completely unexpected revealing an utterly different world inside. On a practical level, this enables the floating cinema to navigate through tight tunnels and expand when docked. On a programmatic level this allows the cinema to perform playfully for different audiences – from intimate on-board screenings to larger outdoor film evenings – adding memorable theatricality to each event and engaging with the bankside audiences. The Cinescope is wrapped in double sided mirror film to create spectacular reflections of the canal.
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