Update: finished stuff and works in progress. Lots of mixed media, acrylic and genitalia. Current soundtrack by Yasmin Hamdan, especially the song “Enta Fen, Again” from “Ya Nass”

↓”Official Target vs. Erlösung”, (440 x 375 mm, apx and respectively), mixed media on cardboard

I am a pacifistic, anti-violence revolutionary, more-feminist-than-my-mother peace-lover first. Next I am a scientist, explorer, fighter, curiouser-than-your-cat mega-nerd. So I went to Springfield, MO and shot a police issue Glock 22, 9 mm, pistol, and much to my surprise I was actually able to do it -pull a trigger. The target wasn’t anthropomorphic, so that helped. It was by far the most violent thing I have ever experienced: the sheer force and brutal sound coming from my hand left me trembling with adrenalin. Back home the target and the experience went in to this piece; my way of making peace with it. Later I happened to be in Berlin, Germany,  on the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and cut the word “Erlösung” (“Redemption/Salvation”. It’s a wordplay on “Endlösung”, “The Final Solution”) from a newspaper and incorporated it in the diptych. Adding and/or blocking out with intersecting diagrammatic graphics of reproductive organs of flowers and spiritual islamic geometric patterns is probably just a feeble-minded attempt to come to peace with all this violence.

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↓”Stigma vs. Myopia”, (390 x 570 mm, apx and respectively), mixed media on cardboard

↓  No title, (540 x 598 mm)

↓”Stunted vs. Pacific”, (360 x 360 mm, apx and respectively), mixed media on cardboard

↓  Work in progress: “Anther Penis Thing”, (595 x 460 mm) mixed media

↓  Work in progress, (480 x 460 mm, apx and respectively), mixed media on cardboard

↓  Work in progress, (480 x 460 mm, apx and respectively), mixed media on cardboard

“Kiss the sky” or “Ignorance is never an excuse, baby” – interactive installation serving as an allegory pertaining the stereotypes and dynamics of love, sex and adulation in the vernacular of popular music and/or the relationship between artists, industry and audience.

The interaction between users and installation creates two outputs: A) the immediate audio on location and B) 33 mixed versions recorded and distributed at random over a period of 33 years. These versions will all be exactly 33 minutes long and cataloged with the above title followed by opus number and publication date.

All recordings will be obtainable at no cost through distribution channels making use of the most popular and state-of-the-art technologies, but only by redeeming the voucher code phrase (”i:am:a:thief”) displayed at the site of the installation. The entire catalog will be licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License and/or similar future license. All copyrights remain entirely with the artist.

Anatomically correct model of a female human heart, cast in colorized durable silicon. Dimensions and weight are exaggerated by 1:1¾. The heart is suspended from the ceiling by a red cable offering support but also carrying the wiring for both electronics and the system communicating with the corresponding external electronics in the   guitar. The model is heated and maintains a constant temperature of 37° celsius. Internal mechanics create a tangible throbbing pulse timed with a rythmic basso beat emerging from a concealed speakersystem. The volume and rate of the sound is controlled by a gyro within the heart. This is set to a range of 60 to 180 beats pr. second and a volume range of 40 to 80 decibel depending on motion and altitude respectively. A letterpress sign next to the installation offers brief instructions to pick up the heart and gently throw it at the guitar.

At the height of 3 meters a customized 1959 Les Paul Standard VOS electric guitar is mounted in to the wall, recessed by 15 mm. The customization includes the Axcent self-tuning system, removal of all controls, dials and the pick guard. A white high-gloss finish on all surfaces including fretboard and pickups has been applied to the guitar canceling out all other markings and graphics. The self-tuning system is programmed to tune itself rapidly in random order to 4 different chords (G#m#5, AM7, E7#9 and E9sus4) and is triggered by the heart connecting with the strings (pure nickel, round wound). The sound emerging from the impact is modulated digitally to swell near-instantly to full volume (90 dB), to maintain a repeating delay in time with the pulse of the heart, to sustain the volume for 10 seconds before it decays and fades out and is engineered to deliver a clean, chorused and phasing timbre to create a spacious and spherical chime. This sound is amplified and delivered through the same concealed speaker system as the heart pulse. If a string happens to break it is to be replaced immediately and only in opening hours and on site. The person trusted with this task will be instructed to move as slow as possible and to wear a white mid-thigh-length lab coat with the word ”Intermission” embossed on the back. The exhibition venue is free to generate revenue through sponsors placing logos on the coat.