June 2014 - AUFSEHEN!

26. June 2014

Frontwork – distinctly different

Frontwork is one of the technical partners of AUFSEHEN! The vast number of projects planned will require the expertise of this specialist in the area of advertising technology. Its work to date shows how diverse its abilities are and that Frontwork can use its many years of experience to manage the impossible.

At Zurich Airport, for instance, passenger bridges and walkways play host to advertising. For these external signs Frontwork had to demonstrate its flexibility: fixing with screws, drilling or gluing things on directly were out of the question on account of the strict requirements for materials and security. So Frontwork constructed frames that were attached to each terminal with magnets. The inscribed aluminium advertising boards were riveted to these frames. For the glass walkways in Terminal E the team produced semi-transparent digital print adhesive, which is visible day and night.

Detailed planning and flawless implementation were required in order to bring this task to fruition. In order not to impede air traffic the work could only be undertaken in the late evenings and at night. It was a huge project that the Frontwork team fully accomplished. We are pleased to have such an experienced partner on board with us!

26. June 2014

The Urban Knitting Trend

Knitted art or graffiti knitting is turning public spaces into works of art. Everyday objects that are barely noticed any more in these hectic times are transformed, by means of a knitted cover, into something everyone stops to look at. For the AUFSEHEN! Summer Festival we have teamed up with artist Ute Lennartz-Lembeck. The qualified art teacher from Remscheid (Germany) already has a number of projects under her belt.

Ute, why has urban knitting or graffiti knitting become so popular?
Firstly it is an art form that can redesign everyday objects very easily. Placing knitted art in public spaces allows us to have surprising encounters. It fits in well with the theme of AUFSEHEN! Alongside the visual realm, it will also offer a haptic experience: soft, flexible wool in contrast with hard, static installations.

What is important for you in your projects?
I always feel that there should be an overall concept behind the project. For me it is not only about knitting something colourful and then using it to decorate park benches or trees. I want to send a message and have an artistic claim to my work. This means that I also intensively delve into the project and the context.

One project in which you were an active participant was «Basel farbARTig verstrickt».
Yes, that’s right: Kathrin Stalder from Basel, who initiated the project, Madeleine Hunziker, Miriam Schaffner and I, together with at least 250 knitters, created knitted art for the Rhine ferries on the occasion of the Art Basel trade fair. Each one of the four ferries was designed according to a specific theme.

What motivates people to take part in this sort of project?
The enjoyment of creating something together, of achieving something, is a decisive factor. It is a language that is understood worldwide. The scene is globally connected, which has been made easier as a result of social media.

Is knitting still very much something that women do or do you also have men among your number?
There are a few men, but not very many. Often it is seen as very unusual if a man knits or crochets. There are now a number of men who are very successful in crochet, generally in the production of hats. For instance, in Basel the brother of one of the knitters stood out for his extraordinarily complex and beautiful patterns.

26. June 2014

eBoy – the pixel artists

One person has an idea, two others think it is a good one. And the result is that all three do something that they enjoy and they do it extremely successful. eBoy produces pixel graphics and isometric landscape images. Its subjects are visually stunning and exciting.

The artists’ collective comprises Kai Vermehr, Steffen Sauerteig and Svend Smital. They met each other while studying and undertaking work experience, and very quickly the three had come up with the idea of making images on computers using pixels. In 1998 they started by publishing a digital magazine on disc – a real innovation at the time. Since then they have gained recognition for their work across the globe.

Time and again people ask whether they are computer nerds. Of course their work requires a lot of time at the computer. They communicate during the project implementation phase by video chat, between Berlin and Vancouver, where the eBoy founders work and live. The research for their work is largely done using Google – for instance, for the large city images whose production can take from months to years. If you look at the details carefully, you realise that you can discover a lot about the people and life in the city, they say.

However, they also work away from their monitors, market their merchandising products and attend trade fairs. They enjoy seeing people’s reactions and making new contacts.

The creators of eBoy enjoy their artistic independence and only publish what they personally like. Their art is enjoyed across the board; their works are popular and have received much praise from both art critics and well-known technology blogs. We will be pleased to see eBoy participating in the Zurich Summer Festival.

10. June 2014

Call for Entries

Many interesting projects are under discussion. They will really create «AUFSEHEN!». Do you want to participate? Send us your project proposals and ideas. Whether artists, project patron, as a business or property-owner – Contact us over our Contact form us if you want to join the Summer Festival.

Archive for month: June, 2014