US09 Report: Paul Klotz on light as artistic medium

Urban Screens 09: The City as InterfacePaul Klotz is an applied art engineer and light designer who focuses on interactive light installations for public spaces. By means of light and sound installations which react to and integrate the movements of the passersby or of the people which interact with them, he attempts influence the movements and behavior of people in public spaces.

Although some of his projects have a more obviously political dimension, such as the thermometer project, which aims to create awareness of environmental pollution, the primary function of his creative lighting installations is aesthetic and stems from his passion and fascination with light as medium. The content of his light installations is generated as a response to the data gathered by sensors at the location of the installation. In the thermometer installation for example, the light bar of the thermometer fluctuates according to the people or vehicles that are passing by, indicating the level of danger for the environment.

It would have been interesting to further find out from the artist: Why light? Besides the artist’s passion for it, how does light as medium in particular influence interaction with the installation and between individuals? How does the creative use of light in public space shape that space?

More information about Paul Klotz’s projects can be found on the artist’s website.

For more urban screens reports please go to: www.networkcultures.org/urbanscreens.

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