[stop]Kontakt (2004)

'Kontakt' and 'Stopkontakt' are two similar installations, aiming for a different audience, but with the same feeling.

Both are reactive installations that focus on making physical contact with others. Its interface consists of several 'electron' and 'proton' shaped cartoon like characters, spread out in the space. These 'contact points' invite you to close several electrical circuits, using your body as a conductor between them. Once a connection (= Kontakt) is made it results in a physical and/or auditive output. For example: a record player starts to play a few good old tunes, a light get turned on, drops of water start falling from the ceiling and make a sound, ...

Depending on the location, we change the interface accordingly. Walls, staircases and sinks become part of the installation as they are turned into touch points, which results in a very spatial experience. The piece celebrates collaboration and cooperation, as a singular visitor can't close all the possible circuits alone. Explore the possibilities and hold hands, touch you neighbours nose or find a piece of metal.

'Stopkontakt' is focussed on children and generates more physical outputs, while 'Kontakt' is more sound based and has a less direct responsive as it is build for an older audience.

Presented at Les Chants Mechaniques, Lille, France; Garage Festival, Stralsund, Germany; Oorsmeer in Gent, Lille, Amersfoort, Antwerp and Hasselt; Spinrag in Neerpelt and Leuven; Happy New Ears in Kortrijk; nowHere, Z33 Hasselt; The Ever Mass Land, Nadine, Brussels; Oakland Museum of California, Oakland USA.