Extender was conceived in 1996 as the centerpiece of the spatial triptych “The Astronomer’s Room” for an exhibition at the Archenhold Observatory in Berlin. A digitally generated object floats in space as a video projection and rotates extremely slowly around its own axis. With each rotation, it takes on a different shape. The telescope becomes a symbol of the “armed” eye, a gaze that searches for knowledge and expands its own field of vision.
extender, 3d animation / video loop 10 min, 1996
Extender
Extender, tunnel with video rear projectionand banner installation (listening boxes by lisi breuss, hannes löschel) ETH Zentrum Haupthalle, Zürich 1997(rhetikus)
The Astronomer’s Room
extender 4 spaces for light and video archenhold observatory, berlin 1996
the astronomer’s room archenhold observatory, berlin 1996
territorium, paper on wall, archenhold observatory, berlin 1996
rhetikus, artist’s book. 1997
“With all his tools, man perfects his organs … with the telescope he looks into distant expanses, with the microscope he overcomes the limits of visibility, which are defined by the structure of his retina. Man has become, so to speak, a prosthetic god, quite magnificent when he has put on all his auxiliary organs, but they have not grown together with him and occasionally still cause him too much trouble …”
after Sigmund freud, Civilization and its Discontents, 1930
the astronomer’s room, wall drawing, echoraum vienna, 1995
rhetikus, artist’s book, 1997
rhetikus, video still, 1995
the astronomer’s room video installation, walldrawing (listening boxbyhannes löschel) echoraum vienna, 1995(rhetikus)
rhetikus, product placement video intervention duomo center milan, 1996
the astronomer’s room scenic directions
a room of variable proportions and size. dark. with a high smooth ceiling that catches the night light shining through the window. or with a high vaulted ceiling of dark wood. or with low, painted cross vaulting. a room within the room is also possible. the light surrounding the room from outside comes through the window or illuminates by means of niches and recesses in the wall. perhaps the glass of the window remains black, and the wings of the white gratings in front of it are opened into the room. the room is completely empty, but the objects seem to be present, as well as the person who normally uses the room. at any rate, there are indications of this. white shadows. or huge dark signs in front of powerful light. luminous powder strewn around. and maybe a single piece of furniture, a table. this is also intensively luminous, and slanted so, that the drawer with its black interior falls to the person in the room. everything suggests movement. it is unclear in which direction, wether toward the outside or from the outside. wether flying or falling, drifting apart or colliding. music can be heard. Voices, whispering. Insistent whispering at the threshold of pain. repeated, incomprehensible murmuring of formulas.
from: rhetikus, artist’s book, 1997
the astronomer’s room, collegium maius, krakau 1995(rhetikus)the astronomer’s room, melanchthonhaus wittenberg, 1995(rhetikus)
Silvia Beck, Lisi breuss, Hannes Löschel rhetikus – a travelling exhibition for showpieces and headphones the artist’s book was published on the occasion of the final exhibition in zürich, ETH zentrum main hall (gta exhibitions), other venues includeprague, krakow, leipzig und milan
