Carsten Nicolai : Visual Artist

Sculpture
New National Gallery in Berlin
2008

rota
installation
image © VG bild-kunst bonn, 2010

rota in motion
installation
image © VG bild-kunst bonn, 2010

aoyama space
exhibition view
kunstraum innsbruck austria, 2009
photo by florian schneider

aoyama space
detail
kunstraum innsbruck austria, 2009
photo by florian schneider

perfect square
2004
glass, aluminum, wood, rubber
362 x 362 x 21cm

Carsten Nicolai, born 1965 in Karl-Marx-Stadt, is part of an artist generation who works intensively in the transitional area between art and science. As a visual artist Nicolai seeks to overcome the separation of the art forms and genres by trying to endeavor a holistic artistic approach. Thus he seeks to overcome the separation of the sensual perceptions of man, e.g. by making sound and light frequencies perceivable for both eyes and ears to sensitise the viewer to the connection of the different sensory levels. Further aspects of his works consider the integration of error and chance as well as the implementation of mathematical, physical or natural phenomenons and theories. Special interest he also puts on so-called self-organizing processes, for example the growing of snow crystals.

“In my opinion the emphasis of self-generating processes is a reaction to the claim to plan everything. Many of my works underlie a rule and introduce a model as organizing scheme to recognize chaotic movements. I am interested in both moments, they lie really close together. (…) The article Active mutations of self-reproducing networks, machines and tapes (1996) by Takashi Ikegami and Takashi Hashimoto had a major impact on my work. They wrote about loop structures and self-organisation. Loops get created by mathematical processes whose results at the same time are the source for new calculations. By constant re-calculating mistakes occur, build up changing patterns and become the origin of new intelligent processes.” (Carsten Nicolai)

MORE INFORMATION ON THESE WORKS

Carsten Nicolai : Rota (@designboom)

Carsten Nicolai Website : Perfect Square

Enter the Realm of Carsten Nicolai (@dailyicon)

Carsten Nicolai – Aoyama Space (@designboom)