An architecture of knowledge

Do cultures evolve? A meme, like a gene, does not purposely do or want anything - it either gets replicated or not. (Richard Dawkins)
The work deals with visualizing the unseen. A paradox attempt of course. How to make the memory which isstored, the knowledge which emerges from and ideas oscillating in and around cities temporarily visible? A subjective selection of more than 150 books serve as a basis for constructing a fabric of information - a multi layered library, an analogue hypertext. The chosen extracts of text are translated via text-to-speech programmes and are being whispered from several loudspeakers. Knowledge does find its expression through language developing multi dimensional language topographies, temporary figures of thought (Denkfiguren), unfolding the readability of cities as a model of the readability of culture.

Watch the afiliated Mnemocity Lecture Performance Video (2005)

Concept & Realisation: Nikolaus Gansterer

Year: since 2005

Materials: paper, text, nylon, neon tubes, loudspeakers

Dimensions: variable

Exhibitions:

– 2005, "Lebt und arbeitet in Wien II", Kunsthalle Wien

– 2006, "Riss, Lücke, Schanier A" Galerie nächst St.Stephan / Rosemarie Schwarzwälder, Vienna

– 2010, "Ohne Titel", Medienturm, Graz

The project Mnemocity was published in:

– Content/Form/Im-material, Context.net. (Sabine Hochrieser, Michael Kargl, Birgit Rinagl,Franz Thalmair) (Eds.), English, 264 p., Verlag für moderne Kunst, 2011ISBN 978-3869841878

– Rift/Gap/Hinge A, Heinrich Dunst & Walter Pamminger (Eds.), Galerie nächst St.Stephan Rosemarie Schwarzwälder, Verlag Scheidegger & Speiss, 2010, with essays by Rainer Bellenbaum/Sabeth Buchmann, Heinrich Dunst, Patricia Grzonka and Walter Pamminger. German/English, 228 pages, ISBN 978-3-85881-301-5

– Parole#1, The Body of the Voice, Annette Stahmer (Ed.), Salon Verlag, Cologne, 2009, ISBN 978-3-89770-320-9

– Lebt und Arbeit in WIen / Living and Working in Vienna, Lucas Gehrman, Gerald Matt, Sonja Gruber, Georgia Holz (Eds.), catalogue, Kunsthalle Wien, 2005, ISBN 3-85247-057-9

– Checkpoint Charley, Maurizio Cattelan, Massimiliano Gioni, Ali Subotnick (Eds.) BB4, KW Berlin, 2006  ISBN 3-9804265-6-4

Reviews:

– "Das Netz und der Tod des Autors", U.T., Falter 26, 2010, p.51

– "Von Autoren und Kunstgeplapper", Martin Gasser, Krone 19.6.2010, p.58

– "Zwischen Sichtbarem und Sagbarem", Manisha Jothady, Die Presse, 28.12 2006, p.28

– "Stören der verordneten Ordnungssysteme", Sonderausgabe - Lebt und Arbeitet in Wien II, Kurier, 2005, p.2

– "Lebt und arbeitet in Wien II", Rainer Metzger, in: Kunstforum, Band 177, p. 418, 2005.

– "Perlen auf der Baustelle", Nicole Scheyerer, in: Die Presse online. 19.05.2005

– "Leben im Verbund", Markus Mittringer, in: Der Standard online. 12.05.2005