I’ve just spent a few days in Belgium, a country i left several years ago convinced that there was nothing interesting happening there for me. But now my interests have moved from the “defense of the European of the cinema and audiovisual industry” to new media art (or whatever we should call it) and technology. And the interview i had with LAb[au] (interview will be online pretty soon) proved me that there’s so much going on these days in the land of waffles and Trappist Beer. Sooo, i’m going to blog about the work of Belgian artists over the next few days. Starting with one by the always puzzling and entertaining Boutique Vizique (see their Dustbunnies.)

[stop]kontakt is a space full of silent machines and objects waiting for a contact with the audience. Children have to activate several electronical circuits, using their body as a conductor between different touch/conductivity sensitive points. Walls, staircases and sinks become part of the installation as they are turned into touchpoints (marked by a + or – sign).

An electric current runs through participants’ skin from one contact point to another. Kids become the missing link in the installation.

This piece also invites to collaboration and cooperation, as a singular visitor can’t close all the possible circuits alone. A small chain of kids holding hands increases the fun of the game and triggers surprising sounds.

STOPkontakt shows us what lies under the plastic skin of the machines by introducing our own skin as conductor of an electric circuit.

Another work by Boutique Vizique i’d love to see is Fritzie, a big stuffed head (the decapitated serial killer Fritz Haarmann) laying quietly in a corner. It looks like big hugging doll, but if you come too close, he wakes up and whispers evil words … a man/machine dreaming of flesh and blood. i guess i’m not very sensitive to the cute factor.

More dangerous looking experiments with electricity: Do Not Touch, Hammock of electricity, risky design.