news
  • ongoing
    exhibition

    we had the pleasure to co-curate the new MAK Design Lab at the Museum of applied Arts in Vienna. Within the permanent exhibition one can find as well a few of our projects like 'the idea of a tree', 'limited moths' or 'LeveL

    MAK Design Lab

  • dec. 2022
    acquisition

    we are happy that our project 'Access' was acquired by the High Museum of Art, Atlanta.
    thanks a lot.
    The project 'Access' is a set of six drinking glasses, confronting people with the global distribution of clean drinking water.

    High Museum of Art Atlanta

trapped flies

an audio-kinetic installation

  • year 2013

  • category Kinetic & Interactive Installations

  • commissioned by

    Austrian cultural forum Rome

variety of glasses from Lobmeyr with artificial flies

If you trap a fly in a glass, it will try to escape and fly against the glass wall. By doing so it emits the sound of the glass itself. Each glass, depending on its shape and thickness, will give a specific tone in a certain volume. The installation consists of 52 different glasses, each with an artificial fly connected to a motor. Together they are programmed to create a swarm-like behaviour and soundscape. The ‘flies’ are connected to the motor via a thin string, which gives them the freedom to ‘fly’ and hit the glass randomly and lifelike. A little concert by 52 flies. 

the sound of the swarm

overview of the project

'It is a surreal simulation that explores the boundaries between natural and artificial sounds and between movement and stillness.'

Domitilla Dardi

sketch of the model

detail view

flies during the preparation

electronical detail

  • materials

    52 glasses, 52 DC-motors with attached plastic flies, wooden shelf, custom electronics

  • dimensions

    160×40×210 cm

  • programming

    Michael Zeltner

  • curated by

    Domitilla Dardi and Elisabetta Pisu

  • initiated by

    IMF on the occasion of the DOS exhibition in the Auditorium Rome

  • team

    Katharina Mischer, Thomas Traxler, Isaac Monté

  • special thanks to

    Lobmeyer, for the beautiful glasses