Video performance, approx. 500 x 300 cm, 8:05 min, HD, sound, 2010
In his large-scale video performance “THIS IS MY VOICE”, Roland Wegerer transforms a deeply personal experience into a powerful and immersive work of contemporary media art. The performance features a striking visual arrangement: ten choreographically identical recordings of the artist are projected simultaneously, creating a stuttering chorus that fills the expansive projection space. Each layer shows Wegerer speaking, but not fluently—he stutters, repeating and struggling with the German phrases:
-
“Wo geht’s hier bitte zum Bahnhof?” (Excuse me, how do I get to the train station?)
-
“Zwei Semmerl mit Extrawurst und Gurkerl” (Two bread rolls with luncheon meat and pickles)
-
“Vielen Dank für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit, auf Wiedersehen” (Thank you for your attention, goodbye)
The irritation and tension produced by the stuttering sound are not hidden but embraced and amplified. Through the simultaneous presentation of ten voices, the stuttering is transformed into a new onomatopoetic soundscape, where rhythm, repetition, and fragmentation become artistic devices in their own right. The resulting auditory texture is both unsettling and mesmerizing, inviting viewers to experience language not only as a means of communication but as a sculptural, performative medium.
By foregrounding his own stutter, Wegerer challenges societal norms and expectations regarding speech and communication. What is often perceived as a flaw or limitation is here reimagined as a source of creative potential and artistic innovation. The deliberate repetition and fragmentation of everyday phrases highlight the beauty and complexity of spoken language, while also drawing attention to the vulnerability and courage required to speak in public as a person who stutters.
The immersive scale of the installation—spanning approximately five by three meters—further enhances the impact of the work, enveloping viewers in a chorus of voices that is both intimate and monumental. The performance blurs the lines between individual and collective experience, inviting audiences to reflect on their own relationship to language, voice, and identity.
