SOMMERLIGHTS @ DARK MATTER
large-scale outdoor light and sound installations
Set against the backdrop of Berlin's nocturnal landscape, SOMMERLIGHTS presents a series of large-scale light and sound installations by artist Christopher Bauder. Located in the outdoor area of DARK MATTER, this temporary exhibition reveals itself at dusk, transforming the space into a realm of radiant performance.
Bauder's work in SOMMERLIGHTS stimulates the interplay between light, space and perception, inviting a meditative exploration of the ephemeral qualities of light. Through a nuanced choreography of light and sound, these installations redefine the architectural and sensory experience of the environment. A temporary yet striking intervention in Berlin's summer landscape, SOMMERLIGHTS captures the ephemeral essence of light in motion, creating a moment of stillness amidst the city's constant flux.
FLOW
large-scale outdoor light and sound sculpture
FLOW is an art installation by light artist Christopher Bauder, with an immersive multi-channel soundtrack composed by Dutch musician Chris Kuijten. Presented as a large-scale work in the outdoor area of DARK MATTER from May to September 2024, FLOW forms part of a broader exploration of light and sound within the context of urban space.
FLOW is an art installation by light artist Christopher Bauder, with an immersive multi-channel soundtrack composed by Dutch musician Chris Kuijten. Presented as a large-scale work in the outdoor area of DARK MATTER from May to September 2024, FLOW forms part of a broader exploration of light and sound within the context of urban space.
FLOW describes the exhilarating feeling of complete immersion and total absorption in a seemingly endless moment. FLOW describes the state of total detachment, a state in which you forget space and time. You are in the moment and completely absorbed in it.
The state of FLOW is as easy and natural as breathing. This vague yet concrete feeling of being in FLOW is what we long for in life. Everything is in perfect balance. We forget time. We lose ourselves. FLOW is a fleeting moment of stillness where everything fits, everything makes sense and the world is simply beautiful. FLOW changes and yet is so light, so deeply rooted in us and as simple as breathing.
The gigantic light art sculpture is made up of 1,000 partially movable lights with over 30,000 individually controllable light points. The computer-generated, floating sculpture glows in infinite shapes and patterns, as if organically drawn by nature, yet technically perfect. Endless waves breaking on a distant beach, the water moving towards the visitor, then receding, only to approach again with the next wave. A constant up and down, back and forth. Everything is in motion and flux, everything changes, nothing stays the same, and yet in that moment you feel suspended and in FLOW.
The light installation consists of a 45 minute show that repeats throughout the evening after sunset.
TENSOR
large-scale outdoor light and sound sculpture
TENSOR is an art installation by light artist Christopher Bauder and musician and composer Akiko Haruna. The work is inspired by the mathematical term “tensor,” which describes a function that relates different objects in a multidimensional space.
What would it be like to explore a new world? A place where nothing is familiar, where everything is a mystery, where the laws of physics are different? A planet full of strange phenomena made out of light and sound. TENSOR is a living artwork, changing shape, color and frequency with every moment. Beautiful and mesmerizing, but also unpredictable and frightening. It feels like a dream or a nightmare, depending on the situation. TENSOR marks a journey into the unknown, where you can see, hear and feel the unexpected. It is a technological adventure that challenges the senses and the mind.
A three-dimensional cloud of 400 suspended lights floats above the audience, creating a mesmerizing visual spectacle. Akiko Haruna’s musical score amplifies the light show, blending cinematic sound design, electronic music and powerful sonic landscapes. TENSOR is a poetic expression of technology, an instrument for transforming data into beauty and emotion. Ultimately, light and darkness are fundamental elements of our existence, affecting our biological rhythms, our sense of time and space, our mood and well-being.
STALACTITE
network-like audiovisual light installation
STALACTITE is a monumental light installation by light artist Christopher Bauder. The immense structure composed of 360 light fixtures resembles an inverted pyramid network and oats above the public.
It floats in the space and invites spectators to free their minds and enter the meditative world of STALACTITE. The layers of light create pulsating light animations generating complex shapes and light patterns which are directly synchronized with the electronic score. The sequential, minimalist and progressive audio-visual journey that STALACTITE takes people on, runs continuously in a loop so each visitor can enter or exit at any time.
