ARTe MEDIA: Nov 25, 2007

BEN VAN BERKEL & THE THEATRE OF IMMANENCE

Duration: 25 November 2007 - 13 January 2008

"Ben van Berkel & the Theatre of Immanence" is a combined art and architectural exhibition wherein the different parts in the exhibition are synthesised into a complete whole. The exhibition stages a theatre or space of communication: communication between the visitors and the exhibited works, between the virtual and the real. Throughout its period, the architectural installation will serve as a hub for various events including lectures, art performances, hosted talks with invited guests, and DJ-sessions.

The architectural installation, entitled "The Thing", is designed by Städelschule professor for architecture Ben van Berkel together with professor Johan Bettum and Luis Etchegorry. The Frankfurt-based design-groups MESO Web Scapes and MESO Digital Interiors have developed a projection work that elaborates on the installation by dynamically embellishing it with moving images and thereby activating its surfaces. The projection work, "On Things Off Things On", is a case study in augmented architecture. It is an attempt to create a reactive surface of extraordinary spatial complexity.
The installation, "The Thing", consists of an upper and a lower level. The upper level serves as a form of theatre and the lower level as a more traditional exhibition space. The two levels are separated by a volumetric surface which is perforated by open holes. These holes serve to connect the two areas visually and audibly. On the lower level, the exhibition presents a group of works by artists and architects who have participated in the one-year long experimental project, entitled "the Space of Communication", a project by the Städelschule Architecture Class (SAC). This project has been generously supported and hosted by Deutsche Telekom.

The exhibiting participants in this project are the architects Asterios Agkathidis, Brennan Buck & Igor Kebel, Holger Hoffmann, Jonas Runberger, Gabi Schillig and the artists Florencia Colombo and Dani Gal.

The synthesis of the architectural installation and the light projections is present in the Internet via inter-active live feeds at the address, http://journal03.staedelschule-onlinegroup.org/ . Journal 3 is the last of three Internet-Journals that are presented by the project group in the project, the Space of Communication. Journal 3 has been developed by MESO Web Scapes.

http://www.portikus.de/