SKALAR

Installation & Performance by Christopher Bauder & Kangding Ray

"SKALAR" is a large-scale art installation by Christopher Bauder and Kangding Ray that explores the complex impact of light and sound on human perception. Following a highly-successful collaboration between WHITEvoid, Kraftwerk, and CTM in 2016 with "Deep Web," CTM 2018 Festival is pleased to host this next artistic venture within its titular Turmoil edition.

"SKALAR" is a central piece within light artist Christopher Bauder’s body of work, reflecting his deep fascination with light. Light and darkness as endless cycles of day and night define our perception of time and influence our emotions. In "SKALAR," light is treated as a solid material that can be sculpted and shaped to architectural dimensions, evoking abstract emotional associations. Intertwined with musician and composer Kangding Ray’s tireless exploration of textures, rhythm, and sound design, the silence of darkness is filled with iridescent formations of spatial light and sound. Measuring 45m in length, 20m in width, and 10m in height, the generative luminous structure encompasses a perfectly synchronous interplay of 65 motorized mirrors, 90 moving lights, and a multichannel sound system – elevating creative possibilities to a whole new level.

Christopher Bauder is an artist and designer working in the fields of light and installation art, media design, and scenography. He focuses on the translation of bits and bytes into objects and environments, and vice versa. In 2004 he founded the multidisciplinary art and design studio WHITEvoid, which specializes in interactivity, media, interior architecture, and electronic engineering.

Few musicians manage to explore the convergence between techno and experimental as successfully as David Letellier, aka Kangding Ray. The aesthetic domains of his home labels, Raster-Noton and Stroboscopic Artefacts, epitomize his complex sound; an aesthetic that tests boundaries, evolving tirelessly in its exploration of texture, rhythm, and sound design.

The former power plant, Kraftwerk Berlin, will house this massive light and sound sculpture, fully immersing the audience into an otherworldly experience. Built approximately at the same time as the Berlin Wall, the building stood abandoned for many years before Dimitri Hegemann gave it a second life by relocating his world-renowned techno club, Tresor there. Today, the building houses many cultural events year-round, and is notably the home for the Berlin Atonal festival, which was recently revived.

"SKALAR" is made possible by the technical expertise and generous support of three main partners. The art and design studio WHITEvoid manages the event’s production and provides custom software development, KINETIC LIGHTS offers its high-performance precision motor winch systems, and ROBE lighting provides the highest quality in moving light technology: ultra-sharp and homogeneous parallel light beams that can hit designated positions with repeated precision and perfect colour consistency across 90 devices. All technical partners are helping extend the limits for this groundbreaking, cross-media project.

 


SKALAR is produced by WHITEvoid, KRAFTWERK Berlin, and CTM Festival. Supported by ROBE and KINETIC LIGHTS.

Runs: 27.1 – 25.2.2018

Installation Times: Mon–Thurs 15–21h, Fri–Sat 13–23h, Sun 13–21h

Live Performances: 4.2. @ 18h & 20h30, 24.2. @ 20h & 22h30, 25.2. @ 18h & 20h30

Tickets: 12/9 € (installation), 25€ (live performance)

Venue: Kraftwerk Berlin