BOOTSCHAFT CRYSTAL MIRROR by Sabine Kacunko

CRYSTAL MIRROR

by Sabine KacunkoMedia Performance at the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris

Official Welcome Reception of the 17th ICOMOS General Assembly and Scientific Symposium27 November 2011, 6–9 pm

Concept: Sabine KacunkoAll Rights Reserved

Sabine KacunkoLives and works in Berlin and Copenhagen

Born in Kassel, Germany

1984-1990 History of fine arts studies in Göttingen, Germany

University of Applied Science, Krefeld, Germany

(Photography and Object Design under Prof. Rolf Sachsse)

1990-1994 Studies at the Düsseldorf Art Academy (Prof. Nan Hoover)

1992 Workshop at Island College of Art (DAAD Grant, KD)

1997-1999 Meetings with Louise Bourgeois, NY

Performance with Louise Bourgeois, NY

2002 Peformance, I love me I love me not, Art house film, ARTE TV

Perfomance For Louise, Kunstbar/Art Bar for Dokumenta11, Kassel

2003 Visiting Studio Grant for the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris

2005 Founded BOOTSCHAFT in Düsseldorf

2006 Workshop, University of Art and Design, Cluj / Romania

2009 Lecture in the CAFA (Central Academy of Fine Arts), Beijing / China

Lecture at National University Seoul / Korea

2010 Lecture, World Knowledge Exhibition, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin

Lecture at Institute für Microbiologie und Hygiene, Charité Berlin

2011 Lecture at Goethe Institute Paris

Lecture Centre Allemand D’Histoire de l’Art de Paris

Biofilms

»the conceptual development of a micro-cosmic experiment«

The natural biofilm is produced by micro organisms. Under the influence of these minute life forms, temperature, wind, air, waterand the organic substances dissolved in them, operate in forming a protective film that adheres to an object like a fingerprint.

The beauty of bacterial art: bacteria function as living solar cells doubling as living pigments (patina); and not least, they present us with a model in terms of their social behaviour.

BOOTSCHAFT – CRYSTAL MIRROR © Sabine Kacunko

Supported by 3M, Nikon, Samsung, Philips, Panasonic, SIGMA, Ilford, among others

PROJECT PARTNERS: UNESCO, ICOMOS, Senate Chancellery Berlin, Agency of Urban Planning Berlin, Agency of Urban Planning Düsseldorf, Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, BAM Berlin - the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, BBAK Berlin, Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Humboldt University Berlin, Free University Berlin


BOOTSCHAFT

Created by Sabine Kacunko 2005 in Düsseldorf, Germany

Development of new method to illuminate individual surfaces and content, and to make them visible.It illuminates the patina - the natural biofilm - on historical, political or ‘geographically-charged’ objects in public spaceModern technology is used to ‘put the spotlight on’ the selected places/objects and their history, and to network them.A dialogue about history, present and future is set in motion.


BOOTSCHAFT & Cultural Heritage

It is becoming increasingly important in this global age to illuminate individual surfaces and content, and to make them visible.This is precisely what the media art project BOOTSCHAFT is all about. It illuminates the patina - the natural organic film - on historical, political or ›geographically-charged‹ objects in public space. Modern technology is used to ›put the spotlight on‹ the selected places/objects and their history and distinctidentity, and to network their diversity communicating with and to the public. Information is stored and decentralised.

»A life flow that is never stationary andalways keeps moving in the cycle of time ...«

»A life flow that is never stationary andalways keeps moving in the cycle of time ...«


BOOTSCHAFT Media Insatallations

1

5

3

2

4

1 HAN HAI Dry Sea, Platform China, Beijing, 2009

2 LIFE FLAGWorld Health Summit, Berlin, 2010

3 PLANGE MILLInteractive live projection Düsseldorf, 2006

4 BLUE WINDOWPermanent installation, University of Osnabrueck, 2008

5 BLOODY MOONMuseum Ehrenhof Duesseldorf, Germany, 2006


Introduction to the ICOMOS

ICOMOS is an international non-governmental organization of professionals, dedicated to the conservation of the world’s historic monuments and sites. The International Council on Monuments and Sites is a network of experts that benefits from the interdisciplinary exchange of its approximately 9500 members throughout the world, among which are architects, historians, archaeologists, art historians, geographers, anthropologists, engineers and town planners.

ICOMOS works for the conservation and protection of cultural heritage places. It is the only global non-government organisation of this kind, which is dedicated to promoting the application of theory, methodology, and scientific techniques to the conservation of the architectural and archaeological heritage. Its work is based on the principles enshrined in the 1964 International Charter on the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites (the Venice Charter).

Website: http://www.icomos.org

BOOTSCHAFT • CRYSTAL MIRROR © Sabine Kacunko 9

ICOMOS is an international non-governmental organization of professionals, dedi-

cated to the conservation of the world’s historic monuments and sites.

The International Council on Monuments and Sites is a network of experts that

benefits from the interdisciplinary exchange of its approximately 9500 members

throughout the world, among which are architects, historians, archaeologists, art

historians, geographers, anthropologists, engineers and town planners.

ICOMOS works for the conservation and protection of cultural heritage places. It

is the only global non-government organisation of this kind, which is dedicated to

promoting the application of theory, methodology, and scientific techniques to the

conservation of the architectural and archaeological heritage. Its work is based on

the principles enshrined in the 1964 International Charter on the Conservation

and Restoration of Monuments and Sites (the Venice Charter).

Website: http://www.icomos.org/

Introduction to the ICOMOS

UNESCO resolution pro-vided for the creation of the International Coun-cil on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)

BOOTSCHAFT– CRYSTAL MIRROR

Media Performance17th ICOMOS General Assembly in Paris, 2011

Occasion: Official Welcome Reception of ParticipantsDate: November 27, 2011 from 18:00 to 21:00hLocation: École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris (ENSDBA Paris)Patrons: President of the French Republic Nicolas Sarkozy UNESCO Director-General Irina BokovaAttendees: Approximately 1,500 (1,200 confirmed by October 1st, 2011)


Media installation CRYSTAL MIRROR at École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris: Live stream projection of microscopic bacteria images taken with the microscope placed inside the sculpture.


Architecture, Culture & Nature in Dialogue

The CRYSTAL MIRROR is an octaeder which proportions are taken from the Cheops Pyramid. Within the carbone wire frame sculpture CRYSTAL MIRROR is a video microscope, a computer and a Petri dish with historic bacteria cultures under whicha Petri dish with living cell cultures is placed. For the duration of the installation, the living cultures grow and mutate. The LED sculpture makes this process visible for the viewer. Using purpose designed software, the artist projects the images livein the ENSDBA Paris.

The CRYSTAL MIRROR with all LED sides completed after its global tour in 2013

Microorganisms are the core and point of departure of the media installation. The reanimated cultures of the historical dustsample are magnified and made visible by means of a microscope inside and transformed into pictures by way of visual projection.

TRANSFORMATION: reanimated bacteria cultures create messages


Art and molecular biology within the matrix of the biotechnological age

A dust sample as cosmic message (pictured), from the Sahara, was found in Calabria in southern Italy, and, in 1823, presented as a gift to the humanist and naturalist Alexander von Humboldt in Paris, where he lived for many years. Later, the sample found its way to Berlin, and is currently kept in the archives at the city’s Natural History Museum as part of the Ehrenberg Collection. The Museum has kindly lent the sample for Sabine Kacunko’s art event and reactivated at the BAM by Prof. Anna Gorbuschina.

The ‘reanimated’ bacteria return to Paris, where they are now presented at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts and communicate messages over global networks.

In our understanding, the artistic process and the generatingof culture in general are part of the same thing, an expressionof the transformation of nature. BOOTSCHAFT – CRYSTAL MIRRORserves as a symbol and a metaphor for the transformation of that which is alive such that the transformation exhibits the determinant condition of that which is alive.

»... almost two hundred years old as a product of transdisciplinary collaboration inevitably has its complex charge of symbolism.«


Digital Communication Network

Not only the mystic beauty of natural processes is visualized, but also the efficacy of human action. Central sociopolitical and environmental questions are touched and lead directly into existential considerations about the relationship between humans and nature which today is characterized by an increasing tension. Information is stored and decentralised, and a dialogue about history, present and future is set in motion.

public space becomes a laboratory

Image of mobile application showing the Humboldt bacteria on the Louvre Pyramid.


Discovering ‘live’ secrets, example of the Axe historique

The monuments of the axe historique are holders of the history, their patina communicates messages in the virtual and analogue public space.

By portraying the parallel existence of the micro and macrocosms via multimedia technology, the otherwise hidden is revealed. Monuments of the Axe historique, which communicate the messages via the mobile Application:

– Louvre– Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel– Obelisque de Luxor– L’Arc de Triomphe a la Place Charles de Gaulle– Grande Arche


Louvre Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel L’Arc de Triomphe a la Place Charles de Gaulle

Grand Arche

Obelisque de Luxor

Performance Modules – Virtual Tour

A mobile application presenting various Parisian locations:The public space performance creates a mobile experience through internet and geo location services. Communicating information about the CRYSTAL MIRROR project, its background, and partners & sponsors.The virtual performance in public space consists of a virtual tour at various historic monuments and institutions in Paris. The sponsors will be included at the performance website and in the mobile applications as described on the following pages.

Communicate the light of knowledge


Performance Modules – Website

A project website will show the live stream from the video microscope and impressions from all illuminatedmonuments. Social networking supports spreading the performance both over time and to a multitude of audiences.

Parallel everyday worlds are perceived by the beholder


Performance Modules – Mobile Discovery of Heritage

The mobile application is available to download for mobile phone users and shows images of the Humboldt bacteria as patina on various featured buildings of the institutions.

The patina images on monuments can be static(stored within) or dynamic (live stream from microscope).

Further social media and geo location services will be utilized.

NATURAL MONUMENT PATINA: analogue memory of heritage

Institutions Exambles:Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture, Académie royale de musique, Académie royale d’architecture, Académie française, Académie des sciences, Académie des sciences morales et politiques, BibliothèqueMazarine, Collège des Quatre Nations, Institut de France,

Placeholder for mobile application image of bacteria covering the ENSDBA L’Observatoire de Paris, Louis Pasteur Institute


Performance Media - Project Booklet Documentation

The project and is documented and reflected by various articles from art historians, cultural and scientific experts.A booklet, stored and shared digitally will be handed out to all attendants during the official Welcome Reception and performance.It will also be available for download from the project website. This documentary consists of general and specificinformation about the project and the topics.

This booklet includes a page announcing all project sponsors, cooperations and partners, mounting the collaboration andstoring them as a reminder for all times.

Artists regular update

During her enduring work and numerous projects, Sabine Kacunko has established a great and highly diverse network of organizations, institutions, and personalities from cultural, political, scientific, and economic fields. This network is informedabout her activities, contemporary issues and trends that she discovers on a bi-monthly basis.

The sponsors logos will be included in the newsletter presenting the current support and partners.Emphasizing the long term connection and mutual support.


Performance in cooperation with the Barke Museum (pictured)

Outlook: Performance at Great Pyramids of Giza

CRYSTAL MIRROR focuses on the complex relationship between culture, science and politic and networks them. By using complex artistic set-ups her project mixed media BOOTSCHAFT draws attention to objects with a special cultural and ecological background, thus to essential socio-political and environmental contexts. Modern technology is used to ‘put the spotlight on’ the selected objects and their history, and to network them. This artwork reflects the evo-lution of life – like a mirror – and communicates the unity in diversity.

The CRYSTAL MIRROR and the dust sample travel back to their origin, to the Sahara Desert in Egypt.

BIOFILM: archetype of life

For the project BOOTSCHAFT – LIFE FLAG /UNESCO culture project 2010 Sabine Kacunko already utilized the bacteria cultures of the Sahara dust sample (in collaboration with the BAM FederalInstiture for Materials Research and Testing, Charité Berlin, Muse-um for Natural History, BBAW Berlin-Brandenburg Academy ofScience and Humanities).

BOOTSCHAFT CRYSTAL MIRROR by Sabine Kacunko

Documents

berlin lecture

university of art

humboldt university

bam berlin

bbak berlin

dsseldorf art academy

senate chancellery berlin

art house film