What are the places of danger?

(Kunsthalle Bern)

Installation

Two posters in two-colour screen print (edition 50), 86.3 x 113 cm
Adapted list of works
Evaluation of danger zones with Marc Schroers and Martin Stolz, Burgdorf

2006

What are the places of danger?

Technical basics
Classification of personal risk in the event of an earthquake into six categories and mapping of risk zones, on the basis of a scientific analysis. I evaluated every location in the exhibition space in terms of the threat to a visitor in the event of an earthquake with a magnitude of 5 MS. From this I interpolated a precise mathematical plan of the isolines (red = maximum danger, white = no danger).

Artistic concept
The Kunsthalle’s press release stated: “The notion of ‘pre-emptive action’ stems from an overpowering sense of fear. Pre-emptive means ‘designed or having the power to deter or prevent an anticipated situation or occurrence’.” And furthermore: “This exhibition intends to invoke a situation that ‘pre-empts’ the realisation and possibility of control. Creating a place suffused with possibilities, this show will be a reflection on the noneffectuation of history, an exploration of the specificity and the irrevocability of the event. It is an exhibition concerned with things that cannot be technocratically mastered, about flightlines and the difficult understanding of freedom versus continuous control.” Both posters for What are the places of danger? were hung in the Kunsthalle’s entrance area above the box office. On my request, this map was superimposed onto the photocopied lists of works, which included the floor plan with hall numbers. Consequently, as they walked around the building, visitors were able to remain aware of the natural risk threatening their current position.

Description in: Florian Dombois: “What are the places of danger?”, in Trajekte 16 (2008), pp. 46 – 51.

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