Wolfgang Spahn

a multiple located video and audio feedback
(two screens, two Raspberry Pi with Raspi Cams, two VGA-Blender Boards (by the artist), two VGA-Sonification Boards (by the artist), internet, power supply, cable), 2019

The sound and video installation “Entangled Pixels” is based on two separate artworks exhibited in two different spaces which are entangled via the internet. The work itself arises only through the connection of these two parts.

The installation refers to entangled particles known in quantum physics. These usually remain connected to each other, so that actions performed against one particle will affect the other one as well, even though they may be separated. Albert Einstein once referred to this phenomenon as “spooky action at a distance.” The installation “Entangled Pixels” thus demonstrates that kind of “spooky action” with reference to everyday Internet content. When action and reaction of information, memes and fake news as well as real-news-yet-said-to-be-fake-news get so intermingled that it becomes impossible to tell what may be true and what is definitely a lie - those Internet-based pieces of mis-/information can't be separated anymore, they are forever entangled.

The artwork reflects upon this zeitgeist phenomena by exploring also the technological impact of these entanglements: Both monitors of the twofold installation have a live camera attached to them. The camera films the monitor's surface and - in a feedback loop - projects the magnified pixel structure on the very same monitor. As the pixels' macro structures are exposed, they appear roughened and frayed. Moreover, they are pulsing irregularly in all varieties of color. Entanglement happens since the same footage will also be streamed via the Internet to the other part of the artwork. The receiving installation then mixes the stream with it's own local footage - with the help of a VGA mixer designed by the artist - which will be projected on it's own screen, get filmed by its own camera which projects the mixture on the local screen, films that one and streams it to the other location - where it is received, looped and so on and so forth.

Moreover, each video signal will also be audible. Due to its sonification it becomes possible to listen to both videos' signals and to acoustically experience the noise of the “Entangled Pixels”.

Thus the setup forms a kind of doubled feedback where one part of the artwork is depended on and entangled with the other and creates a twofold installation.

For the exhibition „Feedback #4 - Marshall McLuhan and the Arts“, 2019 (curated by Baruch Gottlieb and Marie-José Sondeijker / West Den Haag) one part of the artwork was be screened at the College for Creative Studies, Detroit (US) while the other part was be exhibited at the University of Windsor (Canada). Both cities are separated by the Detroit River, which also forms a natural frontier between the two countries.

During the exhibition one could stream both videos live (in full screen mode): http://entangledpixel.dernulleffekt.de