Manchester Art Gallery

Rafael Lozano Hemmer

Recorders Exhibition

"In Recorders, artworks hear, see and feel the public, they exhibit awareness and record and replay memories entirely obtained during the show The pieces either depend on participation to exist or predatorily gather information on the public through survelliance biometric technologies." (Rafael Lozano Hemmer)

Hemmer is an electronic artist, known for creating theatrical interactive installations in public spaces across Europe, Asia and America. The artworks in recorders see, hear and feel the actions of people around them, using technology to create a playful yet ominous experience. The work depends on the participation of visitors to exist and develop. I really enjoyed the exhibition and have been back several times. I like how I can interact with the work, giving in my input.

Pulse Room

2010
Incandescent light bulbs, digital voltage controllers, heart rate sensors, computer and metal stand

Made up of 100 light bulbs, which are activated by a sensor to flash at the exact rhythm of the participants heart rate. As the participant holds the metal sculpture, sensors record the pulse, immediately setting off the lightbulb that is the closest, flashing to the exact rhythm of the participant's hear.


Pulse Index
2010
Digital microscope, pulsimeter, plasma display, computer, custom-made software

Pulse Index records participants fingerprints at the same time as it detects their heart rates. The participant inserting their finger into the sensor, the system displays their fingerprint pulsating to the rhythm of their heartbeat, together with the recordings of the last 508 participants.

Please empty your pockets
2010
Conveyor belt, projectors, camera, computers, custom-made software

An installation that consists of a conveyor belt with a computerised scanner that records and accumulates everything that passes under it. The public can place any small item on the conveyor belt, gor example, keys, wallet, phones, coins. Once they pass through the scanner, the objects reappear on the other side of the conveyor belt beside projected images drawn from the memory of the installation. As the real item is removed from the belt it leaves behind a projected image of itself.

Microphones
2008
Modified vintage microphones, electronics, computers, loud speakers

Microphones features ten modified microphones, each one contained a small loudspeaker and a circuit board in the head, which are connected to a network of hidden control computers. When the participant speaks into the microphone, it records their voice and immediately plays back the voice of a previous participant, as an echo from the past. Half the time the microphones play back the voice that was just recorded, however, they also can reproduce a recording at random from up to 600,000 previous recordings. The participant is able to understand the interaction but, on the other hand, an experience is created that is out of their control.




People on people
2010
Computerised tracking systems, projectors, custom software with face tracking, live compositing and rotoscoping

Photographs of my friend and I projected on the wall at the exhibition:






Hemmer often uses shadow play to engage the public and encourage interaction on a personal and a communal level, usually as large scale outdoor installations in public spaces.