Jan Voellmy
Schnur

With Schnur [string], his interactive installation, Basel artist Jan Voellmy transforms sound into playful movement. The projection of a piece of string stuck on a wall with red tape channels the sounds of visitors via a microphone, causing a dancing movement in the string, which otherwise swings back and forth gently to the background noise of visitors. The surreal glow of the delicate line of string, and the red tape – which seems to be detaching from the wall – result in a balance of relief and drawing, of physical presence and bodiless animation.

The simplicity of the interaction, which appears to render the invisible visible and allows the experience to interact directly with a virtual, physically intangible object, is only surpassed by the pure joy of the game itself. The game, in turn, is based on a more complex programming as its driving force – but given the seemingly magical process, this force sinks into the background.

(Text: Bettina Back)