Arabesque

source: peter-william-holden

Like many of my generation I grew up suckling on a cathode ray tube and bathing in radio waves. All this is depicted within my work, in a collage of movement, light and sound.

Currently with my work I am exploring ways of dissolving the boundaries between cinematography and sculpture. My recent investigations of this theme have involved the usage of computers combined with mechanical elements to create mandala like installations. These installations are my medium and I use them to create ephemeral animations. This ephemeral choreography of movement is the focal point of my work.

I believe this fascination with moving imagery and the transformation of objects stems from my youth where early home computers of the 1980s gave me a glimpse into the wonderful world of applied mathematics. On these computers it was possible with simple codes to generate fantastic abstract patterns and sounds and that encounter destroyed forever the boundary in my mind between abstract and real.

Dance also plays a significant role in my work; I was drawn to it through electronic music. Electro with its synthesized sound introduced me to break-dance and my soul was captured by the beauty of choreographed physical movement.
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source: body-pixel

Kinetic sculptures and robotics could be also perceived in perfomative aspect, not only as installations communicating within the object itself and the creator – sculptor, engineer, passionate geek.

Therefore, I’ve picked up Peter William Holden‘s installations and cinematix approach where he tend to re-interpret the space, objects, movements, music and choreography of ‘wired’ objects; making the idea of robotics pretty poetic.

Peter William Holden (1972, UK) lives and works in Leipzig, Germany. Holden is installation artists influenced by electronic subculture and street culture. He makes kinetic sculptures and movies which were presented at numerous exhibitions and festivals, such as: “Move” New Media Festival, 13th CanariasMediafest, [ars] Numerica, TEDance – Technologically Expanded Dance, E-Art Festival ‘Digital Art & Magic Moments’, Le monde est plein d’images, ROBODOCK -Technology & Arts Festival, Almost Cinema, Ars Electronica, etc.

‘Arabesque’
About the film:
With its roots in Mary Shelly’s “Frankenstein” and the alchemist’s laboratory, the installation presents itself as a mechanical flower: a simulacrum of nature. Life sized human body parts, impaled upon steel, move and sway and dance. The limbs, translucent and livid, bare their internal robotic mechanisms to the gaze of the viewer. The wiring itself is an aesthetic expression deliberately integrated into the installation to bring chaotic lines of abstract form to contrast with the organized symmetry of the body parts.

The lifeblood of this organism is air and when activated this air flows invisibly, bestowing movement to these mechanisms and its presence is only betrayed when exhaled loudly from the valves attached to the serpentine air hose.This combined with the rattle of relays and the tandem clattering of pistons to produce a hyper-modern accompaniment to the music of Strauss.

Part cinema, part theatre, “Arabesque” can be viewed form a multitude of angles, revealing a kaleidoscope of beautiful shapes and patterns created from the human form. (Text by P. W. Holden)