The installation “bios [bible]” consists of an industrial robot that writes down the Bible on rolls of paper. The machine draws the calligraphic lines with high precision. Like a monk in the scriptorium it creates the text step by step. Starting with the Old Testament and the books of Moses, “bios [bible]” produces the whole book continuously within seven months. All 66 books of the Bible are written on rolls and then retained and presented in the library of the installation. “bios [bible]” focuses on questions of faith and technical progress. The installation correlates two cultural systems that are fundamental for societies today—religion and scientific rationalism. In this context scripture has always had an elementary function, as holy scripture or as formal writing of knowledge. In computer technology the “basic input-output system” (bios) designates the module which basically coordinates the interchange between hardware and software. So it contains the indispensable code, the essential program writing, on which every further program can be established.

Links: http://www.robotlab.de/bios/bible.htm

robotlab (DE) was founded by Matthias Gommel, Martina Haitz and Jan Zappe in 2000. The group develops experimental installations with industrial robots. Robotlab is associated with the Institute for Visual Medial at the ZKM - Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, http://www.robotlab.de