Membrane Hertzian Tales, 2024
Concrete module, pmma modules, pulley, winch, moving light, DMX, concrete tiles
314 x 102 x 62.5 cm
Courtesy of the Artist
In this “nocturama” a science fiction-style tower is standing on artificial grass. The tower structure is a miniature of Membrane, the twelve-meter-high tower which was installed on the outdoor deck of the Leeum Museum, and then in the garden of the Fondation Beyeler. It appears intermittently through the switchable glass which plays a score that oscillates between transparency and opacity. Entitled Hertzian Tales, the work alludes to the flow of electromagnetic waves and their ability to transmit stories from the desert of Almería. It relays the voice and soundscape of the exhibition.
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Voices, 2024
(VSO) Language with Susane Daubner
Conlangers: David J. Peterson with Jessie Sams
Speech Generation/Voice Cloning: Pierre Lanchantin
Sound Design: Nicolas Becker with Lexx
Courtesy of the Artist; Susanne Daubner; Haus der Kunst München
The exhibition showcases a pioneering cybernetic voice system that speaks in a novel, evolving language called ∂A. This dynamic language adapts continuously based on environmental data collected from an array of sensors installed in an almond grove in Spain’s Tabernas desert. The voice, modelled after that of the ARD anchor-woman Suzanne Daubner, alternates between speaking, whispering, and humming, creating a melodic and soothing tone reminiscent of distant thunder. The cybernetic structure’s sensory network includes weather instruments, air quality monitors, geological sensors, and communication devices. This comprehensive array allows the system to perceive its surroundings in ways that surpass human capabilities, translating environmental data into unique linguistic expressions. The system can mimic emotional states based on environmental changes, adopting a melancholic tone in response to detected environmental degradation or during quiet, contemplative periods of data analysis. Its translations into human languages are poetic, always seeking the most evocative way to convey its observations, creating a bridge between its unique perceptions and human understanding.