2023
generartor, aluminium, pvc, dc motors, loudspeakers, copper wire, magnets
(DE) Ein System, das seine Erhaltungs- energie aus sich selbst gewinnt, ist bislang nur ein Traum der Ökologik. Nika Schmitt lotet die Idee im Selbstversuch aus. Kürzlich war ihr 'Umwandler' als offenes Labor im 'Meinblau' (Berlin) zu erleben: Umgeben von Modellen und Versuchsaufbauten wummerte in der Raummitte eine Apparatur mit eigenem Dreh- strom-Kraftwerk, dessen fragile Balance zwischen gewonnener und verbrauchter Energie durch Selbstklänge reguliert wurde. Im Großen Wasserspeicher kommt das System nun künstlerisch zu sich - als autopoetischer Reflex- hammer eines gigantischen Rauminstruments mit bis zu 18 Sekunden Nachhallzeit.
(EN) The "umwandler" is a site-specific sound installation that is based on the principle of the copper coil. This metaphor is applied to the entire water reservoir, designated as the "Großer Wasserspeicher" (Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany), which is a subterranean space comprising impressive brick vaults arranged in a circular fashion with four rings surrounding the centre. Cables are installed that radiate from the centre of the reservoir and traverse the entire length of the building, returning from the outer ring back to the centre. This is the location of the Umwandler system in situ. The Umwandler is a generator that, in a manner analogous to a turbine, transforms mechanical energy from motorized magnets and kinetic energy generated by loudspeakers into electrical energy. This system serves as the primary energy source for the installation. From this point, the electricity is conducted via the cables through the rings of the water reservoir. However, the system experiences a voltage loss along the length of the cables that run through the entire architectural space exceeding 1km. The system automatically discharges itself, and the electrical impulses that run through the rings undergo continuous changes. The effects of the charging and discharging processes are chaotic, resulting in a constantly changing soundscape that reverberates throughout the entirety of the building for a minimum of 18 seconds.
Großer Wasserspeicher, Berlin (DE), photo credit: Simon Vogel
Großer Wasserspeicher, Berlin (DE), photo credit: Simon Vogel