Asymmetische Systeme I: Pray for Art

An interactive Installation by Wolfgang Spahn
Sound: Thomas Gerwin

PC, lingo program, video projector, prayer kneeler, interface, sensores, speaker
2008

“All great art is a visual form of prayer.” 
Sister Wendy Beckett 

„Einige große Kleckse werden auf ein Blatt Papier geworfen, dieses wird einmal gefaltet und der Klecks zwischen den Blättern verstrichen.“
Hermann Rorschach

“Pray for Art” is an interactive installation which combines projections with a prayer kneeler. This chair which is originally used in churches for praying in a kneeling position has build in some sensors. Those are connected to an interface which modifies a specially written computer program. This program was created to generate coloured patterns which are projected to a screen in front of the kneeler.

On one hand the installation comments the perception of art as a kind of modern relic. And therefore the art fair is seen as the place for trading those relics. On the other hand the work is about symmetrical and asymmetrical patterns in video. In pictures the phenomenon of symmetry is already well examined, for example it’s being used in the well known Rohrschach inkblot test to analyze and examine a person's personality characteristics. Although symmetry is also often used in films as a strong effect it has never been systematically examined. Therefore the installation aims at doing this as well by using an artistic approach. The computer program permanently generates chaotic patterns which are created in the middle axis of the screen and flow out towards the edges. The visitors can change the projection from symmetrical to asymmetrical pattern by using the prayer kneeler. Besides they can enwrap in deep meditation by watching endless generated symmetrical patterns. This is facilitated by the spherical sounds made by Thomas Gerwin.

The installation had been shown 2008 in the exhibition "when the devil is blind" at "tmp.deluxe - temporary space for art & media" in Berlin. Furthermore it also had been shown at the international sound art festival “farb-laut” in the „Galerie Nord” in Berlin, 2008.

http://wolfgang-spahn.de/Installation_01_Index.html

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