works

das Pelzchen
Painting without paint

“Das Pelzchen / The Little Fur ” is an interactive installation. A computer monitor is disguised as the framed portrait of a woman. This "painting" is mounted on a section of grey wall measuring 4 qm. Lying in front of the wall is a 2,5 qm mat.
The sensors, to which the portrait reacts, are located beneath the mat.

From a distance The Little Fur is simply a framed painting. It takes the viewers’ curiosity to awaken the “painting”.

Photo: Marietta Kesting

If the viewer comes closer to installation and ventures onto the mat they will begin to send impulses through the sensors, activating various sequences of a video and breathing life into The Little Fur.
A fluttering of the eyelashes, a trembling at the corner of the mouth, a slightly raised eyebrow,
or perhaps an almost impudent grin.

Through these subtle changes in mimicry each viewer can interact with the “painting” in a unique way:
Some simply let their eyes wander across the Little Fur, others step onto the map and then shrink back in surprise or irritation – “Did something happen then, or was I just imagining?”
Others let out a sudden laugh, before going off to find their friends and enjoy in turn their confusion.  Still others spend minutes hovering at nose-length in front of the monitor, trying to discover the trick.
Only after a while do they work out that it is their feet that are triggering this “flirt”.

The Little Fur is not sensationalist, it is gentle and yet untiring.

watch video documentation

Photo: Markus Ruff

Credits:

Modell: Amy Patton,
Frauke Janþen
Make up: Tülay Bayraktura
Light: Judith Klapper, Simon Menner, Olli Opitz, Daniel Urria
Technical Support: Gregor Blahak, Dominik Busch, Frank Ellendt, Frank Fietzek, KarlHeinz Jeron, Sascha Kobs

© Jana Linke, UdK Berlin, 2005