Clerk

In Clerk, a clerk in a notary’s office stamps his approval on a great quantity of documents: this happens quickly, at a speed that sets the beat of a rhythmic dance. The sound, marked out by the stamp on the paper, turns through repetition into overwhelming music. Thanks to its musicality, the habitual, monotonous gesture takes on a new, human value: a typically alienating action, a symbol of justice and institutional order, becomes a demonstration of mastery of the gesture, of the ability to carry out one’s tasks.