LASER_DRAWING#3, 2007

Projektions-Biennale Bad Rothenfelde, 2007
Curated by Manfred Schneckenburger

The installation LASER_DRAWING was adapted for the salina in Bad Rothenfelde. With its ten meters in height and 420 meters in length, this salina built in 1880 is the largest constructed salina in Western Europe. Salty brine pours over bundles of brushwood down into the depths where it is swirled together with air before being captured in a reservoir. At a height of 6 meters with 50 cm distance, two green crystal lasers (1000 mw) are mounted above the reservoir parallel to the salina's wall. The laser light runs as a straight line over the wall and makes the movements of the tiniest particles of salted water visible. Over the course of around 380 meters, the following parameters change and, with them, the way the laser looks: distance of the laser beam to the salina wall (via the amorphous form of the wall with its bundles of brushwood), divergence of the beam, light intensity and illuminated area. Over three months of installation time, the meteorological parameters likewise change the laser’s appearance: weather conditions, like dryness, humidity, rain, wind, fog, snow and ice determine the brightness of the beam.

On top of that, a closed-circuit color video system live-recorded a microscopic view of the laser: the extremely humid air, pervaded by floating white salt crystals, against the backdrop of the saline wall. Swirling drops of water, salt crystals, dust, insects and other tiny particles were recorded in a microscopic camera frame, enlarged to a format of 12 x 16 meters and projected onto the saline wall.