The 8th edition of the Garage Festival, which opens this Friday 23 in Stralsund (Germany), will feature three weeks of exhibitions, installations, concerts/performances, lectures, films and workshops dealing with the interface concept in art.

Among the installations, Automaten will recreate the Automaten Bar, a private club, open 24/7 and conceived in 2002 by a group of media-space artists to preserve automated culture. The original clubroom is located in Berlin-Mitte and functions as a fully automated bar, where an automat controls the door, monitors the room and runs an audio-video jukebox, which provides sounds and images by d/vj’s for free.

Members let themselves in by swiping a magnetic card at the door. Inside, Euros can be exchanged for Automarken – the Automaten currency – to get drinks, snacks and gadgets obtained from vending machines. There is also free internet access inside the room.

Automaten has an ongoing programme of guestautomats, exhibitions, lectures and screenings dealing with –of course– the use and impact of automation and technology in society.