150 prepared dc-motors, 270kg wood, 210m string wire

The sounds of 150 mechanical seesaws striking the floor of a former church in Austria reverberate around its nave in this installation by Swiss artist Zimoun (+ movie).Named after the materials used in its creation, Zimoun’s latest installation is titled: 150 prepared dc-motors, 270kg wood, 210m string wire.The artist used the wood to build 150 simple seesaws, made from long batons that pivot vertically on short upright lengths.Orientated in different directions, these are scattered around the nave and transepts of Klangraum Krems – a Gothic church converted into an events space in the Austrian town of Krems an der Donau.Each seesaw incorporates a motor that powers a thin metal arm, which is attached to one end of the rocking wooden element by piece of wire.When the motor is activated the arm flicks back, pulling the string taught and causing the end of the wood to strike the ground.“Over a simple mechanical system the wooden laths are set in motion and randomly falling back to the floor,” said Zimoun.