Fine 319: Schlegels

In class, we came across Andrea Schlegel's Toiletpapersofa. So, on google I go to find out more about this artist. And what do I find? "Do you mean Andreas Schlegel?"

Now, I'm confused. I can't find Toiletpapersofa anywhere. There is a young German artist named Andreas Schlegel, born in 1975 and who works in Singapore. But looking on his works, I can't find this piece anywhere. And I swear in class we were presented with the name Andrea, not Andreas. So is this a different person I've come across?

If it is, then he's damned interesting. Media arts are an area I'm not too familiar with, but it is something that I've had a strange pull towards. Schlegel, according to his website, likes to "write programs that generate audio, visual and physical output", often creating what he calls "Objects". These are machines that he builds and programs. One such piece is groundpulse (2009), a modified seismometer that measures vibrations and creates an audial output. I have a background in earth sciences, and initially came to university to become a seismologist or volcanologist -- so I am quite fond of this piece. I would like to learn more about this piece, as I have some questions: does the artist have the ability to manipulate the output? What kind of output is it: only audial, or visual, too? Is he interested in using this as an instrument that responds to the natural movements around it, or does he like to, say, jump around it or purposely create vibrations for it to respond to? Real Time Visuals (2005) is an LED wall that features visualizations which are generated in response to a connected electronic reed instrument (like a clarinet). Depending on which notes are played, the tempo, the dynamics, etc., new, nebulous computer-generated images are displayed. I think the possibilities are endless with this one; but once again, I would be interested to know if he prefers a more zen approach or an interactive one. Does he want to learn how to control which images are being displayed? Does he want to compose a 'film' of sorts -- play these notes, and this pattern of colours and images will emerge? Or is he simply content with people playing random notes at will, just seeing what will pop up in front of them?

Real Time Images, 2005

LED Wall

Source