atem
liverpool
biennial of contemporary art/moma oxford.audible light
noto,
carsten nicolai, 1999 / 2000
descriptions:
atem = deep breathing - working with the liverpool biennials theme of "traces", this project refers to the historical background of liverpool, extremely intense exploration of human power; the physical vibration of a subsonic sound effects people and objects in the space, with the movement of a visitor the resonance structure of the floor changes, this effects the subsonicwavepatterns of the water surface in the glass flasks - an interaction between stable and unstable movements starts - continuing until material and the physical state of the visitor is explored. connected to fluid.interference + frozen water.
... " this piece demonstrates how sound equipment can filter and transform electroacoustic effects or field of power. like the kid with a salty guitar, nicolais two laboratory flasks of water project waves and ripples on the floor, shaped and altered by the vibrations emanating from nine floor mounted speakers gently rumbling. one of the most sublime sound experiences visible at either show, atem is simplicity itself, the only piece that feels like its running for an eternity, and will run for an eternity long after you have left the room."
rob young , the wire, issue 193, march 2000
setup: 
a) time space movement related elements:
2 doepfer oscillators ca. 18-19 h
1 amplifier
1400 w speakers build in floors; driven by the oscillators
2 glass flask half filled with water
b) frozen element
= fix:1 diptychon "membran" each: 114 x 156 cm oil on polyester,
aluminum-frame