Ethereal Fleeting Original

A cloud machine, 2018 Lukas Truniger in collaboration with Itamar Bergfreund & Bruce Yoder A continuous series of clouds, generated by a silvery machine-like sculpture, float over its surrounding and then slowly dissolve into thin air again. This seemingly natural phenomenon can be observed in strangely repetitive patterns. Its formation is indeed programmed and conceals an algorithmic poem, coded into the winds. The air is used as an ephemeral storage medium, its content gradually dissolving over time. A metaphor for our modern societies: we are constantly writing our stories into the atmosphere – both consciously and unconsciously – manifesting energy into tangible, albeit transient, forms. The installation is an attempt to synthetically reproduce one of nature’s most stunning marvels outside of its expected context. Though this endeavor appears to be doomed to failure, it raises various questions regarding how we interact with our environment as well as on our desire to imitate and eventually control nature. This supposed contrast between technology and nature is explored in a scope of unseen possibilities of sustainable interdependence. ____________ Supported by Burning Man 2018 Honoraria art grant Video recording by Michel Häberli