Punctum Archimedis
HIGH PERFORMANCE
Kunsthalle Arlberg1800, St.Christoph am Arlberg Austria
curated by section a
Punctum Archimedis, rendering
Site-specific temporary installation of the staircase in the new Kunsthalle 1800 in St.Christoph am Arlberg, which was inaugurated in November 2015.The lines on the stairs follow the outline of the mountaintops in the Austrian Alps. The installation connects the gallery’s architecture with its surrounding landscape; the mountainlines on the stairs align with the view outside of the glass entrance/window.
The installation is based on the experience of a hike, when attempting to reach the highest peak with the best view. After every peak follows another mountain peak. Thus, the goal moves forward and changes location during the trek, so that the hiker never arrives at his/her destination.
An Archimedean point (or ”Punctum Archimedis”) is a theoretical ”absolute point”, a hypothetical vantage point from which an observer can objectively perceive the subject of the investigation. The idea is to ”remove oneself” from the study object so that one can see it in relation to all the other things. The term comes from Archimedes, who claimed that he could lift the earth, if he had a place to stand on, a fixed point, and a long enough lever.
