'Telematische Skulptur III' (production: kulturdata) is a 'virtual data space' representing the modern information age as a 'universal waiting room'. The room (or sculpture) defines itself purely on the basis of digital information traffic. It no longer makes any difference whether this is artistic or everyday data traffic. Rather, the symbolic signs of the computer in the 'virtual data room' are once again symbolically loaded: the material rail (as in railway) doesn 't carry anything anymore, on the contrary - it's now the non-material symbols which carry the rail.
The movement of the 'Telematische Skulptur III' was controlled not only by the data relating to the art work, but also by the whole internal data traffic of the exhibition building itself, such as telephone, fax, telex, etc. The momentary condition of the sculpture was visible in the form of a status indicator on the screen. Every information input resulted in a visible change in the non-material symbols, which in turn caused a minimal change in the movement of the sculpture (which weighs tons), in other words, an imperceptible shift m the rail.
As the sculpture was interactive (information-dependent), its temporal duration could not be laid down in advance. The final end, however, was determined by the physical limits of the Kunsthalle building itself, at whose walls the sculpture would have destroyed itself - an information overload would have caused the rail itself (!) to crash into the screen.


Technical Background

HW: No Technical Details
SW: Knapp Electronic

Richard Kriesche (A), born 1940, has been Professor for Theory and Practice in Electronic Image Creation at the Offenbach/Main Hochschule für Gestaltung (Design College). Trained as teacher for Art Education, founder of numerous cultural institutions (including “kulturdata”), study visits at MIT (1985-86), teaching engagements at the Technische Universität in Vienna (1988-91).