dispersion - kunsthaus bregenz - austria
ephemeral installation co-signed with jean-marc bustamante / zumtobel staff sponsorship
ephemeral installation co-signed with jean-marc bustamante / zumtobel staff sponsorship
200 polycarbonate bowls - theater filters - halogen bulbs - wires - streel cables
generative programming - extinguishing of public lighting - average consumption 500 w/h
generative programming - extinguishing of public lighting - average consumption 500 w/h
from 29.01. until 26.03.2006, dispersion covered all four sides of the façade of the kunsthaus bregenz. the light installation worked congenial with the structure of the all over glass skin of the building by architect peter zumthor.
a total of hovering 200 lights, 50 per side, arranged and displayed behind the etched glass panels, transformed the façade into an abstract representation with constantly changing hazy pattern at night.
most of the time, only a few spots were slowly going on and off, each one incandescing with different intensity and tempo. once in a while, small independent flashes parasited the global variable pace of the nebula. with the increasing light, the colour of each lamp varied from reddish-pink to violet-blue through lilac-purple giving a shifting camaieu to each breathing expansion of light in glass. it seemed that these changes happened at random and even by watching the installation for a longer time it was not possible to find or detect a strict system.
the whole appearance gave the impression of great vulnerability and lent a kind of slow-motion quaking tenderness to the building. every fifteen minutes or so, suddenly, all lamps on the opposing sides ( or all over the building ) flushed on at full strength. it always came as a surprise : that moment, scattering light all around, the edifice was quietly blazing colour to its surrounding. then, the illumination could be seen from far away, from the neighbour villages and from the mountain sides. especially attracting were the reflections on the water, when the house was approached from the harbour or from the other side of the bay of the lake of constance. the people of bregenz, vorarlberg area and kub visitors savored dispersion, may be for its orphic softness and underlying tension. it was the talk of the town and lots of them wished it would be a permanent installation.
dr rudolf sagmeister, kunsthaus bregenz curator.
most of the time, only a few spots were slowly going on and off, each one incandescing with different intensity and tempo. once in a while, small independent flashes parasited the global variable pace of the nebula. with the increasing light, the colour of each lamp varied from reddish-pink to violet-blue through lilac-purple giving a shifting camaieu to each breathing expansion of light in glass. it seemed that these changes happened at random and even by watching the installation for a longer time it was not possible to find or detect a strict system.
the whole appearance gave the impression of great vulnerability and lent a kind of slow-motion quaking tenderness to the building. every fifteen minutes or so, suddenly, all lamps on the opposing sides ( or all over the building ) flushed on at full strength. it always came as a surprise : that moment, scattering light all around, the edifice was quietly blazing colour to its surrounding. then, the illumination could be seen from far away, from the neighbour villages and from the mountain sides. especially attracting were the reflections on the water, when the house was approached from the harbour or from the other side of the bay of the lake of constance. the people of bregenz, vorarlberg area and kub visitors savored dispersion, may be for its orphic softness and underlying tension. it was the talk of the town and lots of them wished it would be a permanent installation.
dr rudolf sagmeister, kunsthaus bregenz curator.
