ELF - Electronic Life Forms - Pascal Glissmann & Martina Höfflin 1.12. - 16.12.2005
Workshop (by Ralf Schreiber):
Friday December 2 and Saturday December 3 at 5 pm
The idea of building machines that reflect biological structures is certainly not new. From Leonardo Da Vinci who dreamt of winged flying machines to the clockwork automata, humans have been trying to build machines that can perform tasks as successfully as the myriad creatures in our natural world. I am working with oscillations, interferences, feedbacks, chaotic processes, auto active systems and silence. I like to develop entirely autistic systems, operating completely independent from its surroundings. Systems of no aim - except itself. An audikinetic installation "Living particles" consists of many different electronic particles, which are suspended from coloured elastic bands and together form an organic system, the minimum construction for synthetic life: an acoustic jungle. The individual components receive their whole energy from solar cells with the size of lentils, which are connected in series. The electronic connections imitate a nervous network with positive and negative feedback that is rhythmically intensified. A change in position changes the intensity of the light and consequently the sounds that are being created. Changing light condition affect the quality and level of the emitted frequencies. Signals of grouped modules interfere amongst themselves and with the sounds of the environment. The result is a turbulent surface full of vibrations and undulations, small sounds, superimposing, enhancing or interrupting each other. (Ralf Schreiber) Ralf Schreiber (1964, Cologne) lives in Cologne and works with audio installations, robotics, chaotic processes, auto active systems and silence. He finished MA studies at the Münster College of Art and Postgraduate studies at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne. Exhibited in several galleries and international festival of media arts (Artbots/ The Robot Talent Show, Dublin 2005, Soundart, Duisburg 2005, Transmediale 05 Basics, Berlin 2005, Soundart, Art Cologne, Köln 2004, Artbots/The Robot Talent Show, New York 2004, Living particles, Picture Gallery Klaipeda, Lithuania 2004, RAM 4, Survival Kit - NIFCA , Helsinki 2003, imagine interface, looking glass gallery, Bruselj 2003, Streams of Encounter, Taipei Fine Arts Museum , Taipei 2003, Sensible Module, V2-Organisatie / Goethe Institute, Rotterdam 2001, Living particles, EMAF Osnabrück, Osnabrück 2001, Gallery gnd to earth coop to Transmediale 01, Berlin 2001, Flexibilitätsversuche / Fridericianum Kassel, Kassel 2000/2001, High end Low / Substrat Rohstofflager (Looptube), Zürich 2000).
'Elf' is an installation developed in the context of the research project 'electronic-life-forms' by Pascal Glissmann and Martina Höfflin. Robots still do not have the abilities, science and fiction promised us. Therefor our work is focussed on very simple life approaching systems. 'Elfs' are small mechanical systems, simple analog circuits vitalized by (sun)light. Even though their movements, sounds and forms of interaction are very limited they are easily accepted as living creatures. 'Elfs' in a natural environment give a surprisingly common impression of merged technology and nature. The way they are displayed in the installation evokes childhood memories of exploring and observing life. As an aimless but autonomous genre of artificial life the 'elfs' are in opposition to industrial robotics developed as servants with an advanced level of functionality and performance. Nevertheless they question the integration of art, technology and nature in the long existing and fascinating research of life simulating systems. Project by Pascal Glissmann and Martina Höfflin at the Academy of media art Cologne was inspired by Ralf Schreiber and Mark Tilden. Pascal Glissmann, born 1973 in Germany, studied Communication Design at the University of Applied Sciences in Düsseldorf focusing on photography, typography and interaction design. After completing his MFA in audiovisual media at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne, gaining work experience in New York City and working as an Art Director in Germany he is now researching and teaching at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne. More info: www.subcologne.com Martina Höfflin, born 1971 in Kenzingen, Germany, studied Computer Science at the Academy of Applied Sciences in Furtwangen and the San Francisco State University focusing on interaction design, usability and internet applications. After 2 years of freelancing as a media designer for different companies and customers in Berlin and Munich, she is now working in research at the Academy of Media Arts in Cologne since 2002. Besides she is cofounder of the Büro für Brauchbarkeit, a studio for media, art and fashion in Cologne. More info: www.brauchbarkeit.de Curator: Sandra Sajovic For further information contact Alenka Gregoriè, artistic director of the ©kuc Gallery on +386 1 251 65 40, galerija.skuc@guest.arnes.si. The programme of ©kuc Gallery is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, Cultural Department of the City of Ljubljana. Project supported by German Embassy in Ljubljana.
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