Generatives Teilchen Kontinuum

2004

Christian Glauerdt
Ina-Marie Kapitola
Marion Woerle
Tanja Kullack
Maciej Sledziecki
Theodore Watson (US) (UK)

Time, which was measurable and comparable only with great difficulty prior to the invention of the clock, seems to elapse ever faster in our accelerating society. So much to do in so little time—most of us are all too familiar with this.

The installation in the Ars Electronica Center’s museum elevator is an effort to visually and acoustically depict the compression of time. At the beginning of the ride in the Museum’s Underground Level, the atmosphere is still relaxed and calm; as the elevator car travels up the shaft, its occupants are subjected to audio and video input that increasingly intensifies and ultimately implodes.

The visualization is done through the depiction of “energy particles” that are in motion within the elevator shaft and systematically multiply via cell division at each respective floor. The number of particles determines the number of tones. Cell division generates intermediate tones. Impact speed and three-dimensional motion as well as the particles’ collisions with one another also give rise to acoustic effects.

The particles’ movements through the elevator shaft leave behind “motion traces” in space that form an optical network structure and make it possible for the riders to visually follow their paths for a short time. When particles collide, they deform one another just like any act of communication changes an individual. We are completely at the mercy of the compression of the space-time continuum, and this is the feeling meant to be communicated to visitors.

Musical concept developed by and realized in collaboration with Maciej Sledziecki. Produced in cooperation with Theodor Watson.

Initiated and realized in collaboration with Ars Electronica Futurelab: Christopher Lindinger, Theodor Watson, Erwin Reitböck.