DAWN

Multimedia installation inspired by dawn. In collaboration with Australian composer David W. Pyke. The project is currently in the development phase in preparation of exhibitions in 2026 / 2027.

Concept

Theme

Our life is a journey. We are born and exist on this earthly realm, and eventually depart it. Our bodies dissolve. The cycle goes on. Darkness gets alive. Dawn heralds a new beginning. Dawn, the "bridge stretched across the stream of time" (Percey Bysshe Shelley, Defence of Poetry): an eternal, daily journey from darkness to light.

This project explores the potential of dawn to immerse into the power and importance of new beginnings. Dawn is inscribed into our DNA from birth. It is part of our sentimental education and has the power to catalyse the most remote regions of our imagination.

Thinking of dawn as a sensory experience, exploring the natural spectacle regulating our lives, regardless of our origins and orientation. A universal phenomenon and basic rhythm of human life - the beginning of a new day.

Artistic Approach

The visual slow-motion choreography of color and brightness is accompanied by spoken words, ambient soundscapes and (human-made) music. Audio plays an essential part and expands the abstract nature of light.

Composer David Pyke wrote thematic music for the project, eight songs on eight chapters of dawn. In March 2024, the original score was recorded by Koto player Naoko Kikuchi (Frankfurt), Shakuhachi player Reison Kuroda (Tokyo ) and percussionist Enyalios Evangelou Papadopoulos (Cyprus / Cologne) at Topaz audio studio Cologne.

The audio-visual installation touches on various topics in the scientific and neuroscientific topics connected with light, anatomy (ophthalmology), physiology, anthropology, (epic) storytelling, physics, engineering, architecture & lighting environments to name a few.

Schedule

2024 / 25 development of light dramaturgy, protoytpe

2025 / 26 exhibition in Europe in development

2026 / 27 exhibition in Artspace Mackay

Trailer

LONG VERSION BELOW 6 minutes - German with English subtitles available (-> Settings in the Vimeo Player). TRAILER SHORT VERSION 2 minutes -> click here

Play Video

Artistic Team

Drawing on dozens of collaborative “Video, Music & Performance” projects, media artist and former dancer Pipo Tafel collaborates to conceive an installational approach with the musical score of composer David W. Pyke.

David has written classical orchestra music for more than 25 years. His works have been premiered internationally, e.g. Edinburgh Fringe Festival and National Theatre Melbourne.

Invitation for collaboration

We invite interested individuals and organisations to get in touch with us about opportunities to explore the project as an artistic object to deepen the collaboration nature of this format. Practitioners in art mediation and art education, artists or festivals and entities beyond are welcome to consider workshops, research or talks etc. on the various themes of the project.

For further questions & collaborations, contact here.