carsten nicolai: rota

‘rota’ image © VG bild-kunst bonn, 2010

german artist carsten nicolai (aka alva noto) has created ‘rota’, an installation which stimulates human perception of light and sound. the installation consists of a rotating steel cylinder whose surface has been engraved and perforated with a geometric pattern. within the centre of the cylinder, a bright light penetrates through the openings, lining the gallery space with an illuminated, flickering carpet of shapes. through the use of photo sensors, the light pulses are then converted into sound. ‘rota’, follows in the tradition of the dream or mindmachine which were developed in the 1950s in the context of the american social and literary beatnik movement, creating a kind of hallucinogenic atmosphere.

‘rota’ is on show as part of the rosenkranz kubus VII. exhibition at the museum of fine arts in leipzig, germany until may 2nd, 2010.‘rota’ image © VG bild-kunst bonn, 2010

rota in motion

‘rota’ image © VG bild-kunst bonn, 2010