Ars Electronica Center and Kunstuni present:
New Exhibition: TIME OUT.09
(Linz, 15.11.2018) The TIME OUT exhibition series puts Linz’s young media artists in the spotlight thanks to the Ars Electronica Center and the Time-Based and Interactive Media program at the University of Art and Design Linz. “The latest instalment of TIME OUT is a great example of how our students give creative expression to their thoughts and feelings using audiovisual tools,” said Prof. Dr. Gerhard Funk, head of the program. The exhibits range from spherical soundscapes to modified Venetian blinds to an installation that turns visitors into trees.
The ninth exhibition of the TIME OUT series is opening today, November 15, 2018 at 19:00 in the Ars Electronica Center. Admission is free.
TIME OUT .09: Project overview
Tonbrücke / Ute Hackl (AT)
The former Linz rail bridge is the focus of Ute Hackl’s sound installation “Tonbrücke.” When a visitor touches a section of the old railing, the bridge awakens to new life by means of authentic sounds recorded and collected over a period of two years. The sound of trains, cars, and footsteps going over the bridge, or the groans of the iron girders, remind us of what used to be. Ute Hackl’s work takes a stand for the protection of cultural artifacts. The work was implemented technically by means of a microcontroller and a touch sensor that only plays the sounds when the railing is touched.
[connect by nature] / Moritz Rathke (AT)
Moritz Rathke’s interactive spatial installation “[connect by nature]” focuses on the tension between humans and nature. It tries to connect observers with the essence of nature. The work consists of four installations that consider four different aspects of this connection:
The centerpiece of “[connect by nature]” is the interactive projection “Anthropomorph,” which scans visitors with a Kinect camera and transforms them into tree-like creatures. Just as in nature, none of them is exactly like the others.
“Ritual” shows a platform with a scalpel and row of different seeds. There is an implication that humanity and nature could be combined by planting seeds under the skin. The body grows together with a tree – an archaic act of violent appropriation of nature.
“Plant” focuses on the magical beauty of nature. It centers around a bonsai tree, pruned and planted in a narrow pot. Human intervention keeps it from growing into an imposing tree; instead it becomes a little houseplant. Despite the limitations imposed on its growth, it continues to grow on its own – nature is the true artist. Above the platform with the bonsai, the projection of a leaf is enthroned, the pure beauty of nature shining through its multifarious, complex pattern.
“Sprache der Natur” at first seems to be a shape sorting game for children. However, visitors quickly realize that the shapes do not fit into the spaces provided. Here Moritz Rathke contrasts mathematics with nature – where there are no identical geometric forms and every plant is unique.
A story about resonance / Philipp Feichtinger
Philipp Feichtinger uses a sound transducer, metal plates and sand to create a unique acoustic and visual experience. At irregular intervals, the spherical soundscape is interrupted by vibrations that cause the sand to make geometric shapes on the plates. These patterns then combine further, like the pixels of a digital display.
Tabula Rasa / Angelika Wonisch (AT)
The Latin phrase “Tabula rasa” originally meant a writing tablet coated in wax, which could be scraped smooth for a new, clean writing surface. Today, “tabula rasa” describes a situation where everything that has happened before is erased, making a new beginning possible – a clean slate.
Angelika Wonisch tells the story of two friends who wrote letters to each other for years. There is a big fight, with the last letter ending “Let’s make tabula rasa [i.e., wipe the slate clean].” However, is it really that easy to start over again after a fight? There is an empty book where excerpts from letter gradually become visible. “Tabula Rasa” allows visitors to witness the development of a friendship and its disruption…
Am I A Girl Yet? / Sophia Hochedlinger (AT)
Sophia Hochedlinger’s interactive video installation “Am I A Girl Yet?” explores learned patterns of gender-specific behavior. It centers on observing two generations of women – a mother and her two daughters, who are shown sitting, talking, walking, and so forth. Using a console, you can view every action as either gender-specific or gender-neutral.
mindFi / Bene Reiter (AT)
“mindFis” are small local Wi-Fi hotspots that provide users with an app that is specific to that location instead of a regular internet connection. Depending on the hotspot, these apps may call on users to leave messages for other people, tell the next part of a story, or solve a puzzle. Unlike traditional websites, if a user wishes to check whether someone has left a message, she or he must return to the same location.
Field / Marlene Reischl (AT)
The light installation “Field” combines florescent tubes and Tesla coils. The high-voltage field causes the tubes to glow. If the coils move over the sculpture, their electric fields activate the tubes and stimulate the gas inside to produce flowing light movements. The absence of cable links and the gentle motion of the light give the installation a mysterious, poetic atmosphere.
convulsion_01 / Clemens Niel (AT)
Clemens Niel’s artistic works give new meaning to everyday objects. He robs them of their intended function, hacks them using microcontrollers, and awakens them to new life. In his new kinetic installation “convulsion_01,” he modifies Venetian blinds, which are normally either closed or open. Here the dualism is dissolved. Using microcontrollers, the blinds open and close as if on their own and a light installation is produced.
Photo:
convulsion_01 / Clemens Niel / Fotocredit: Ars Electronica – Robert Bauernhansl / Printversion / Album
Photo:
tonbrücke / Ute Hackl / Fotocredit: Ars Electronica – Robert Bauernhansl / Printversion / Album
Photo:
A story about resonance / Philipp Feichtinger (AT) / Fotocredit: Ars Electronica – Robert Bauernhansl / Printversion / Album
Photo:
Am I A Girl Yet? / Sophia Hochedlinger / Fotocredit: Ars Electronica – Robert Bauernhansl / Printversion / Album
