news
  • 3. August, 2023 - 1.January 2024
    exhibition, new project

    On the occasion of the exhibition dealing about 'WADI,' we were commissioned to develop a new project. 'Themis-Wadi' addresses the audience, advocating for more rights and greater appreciation for this biome.
    curated by: Dan Handel

    Haifa Museum of Art

  • 29. April - 31. October, 2023
    project LAB

    'themis real time LAB' during the "Plant Fever exhibition" at Design Campus Dresden. 'Themis Elbinsel' questions the inclusion of nature into society.

    Kunstgewerbemuseum Dresden

  • 22. May - 21. October, 2023
    exhibition

    we are happy that our project 'Access' is part of the "FOOD" exhibition at Design Museum Holon.
    The project is a set of six drinking glasses, confronting people with the global distribution of clean drinking water.

    Design Museum Holon

  • 29.September - 05.November, 2023
    exhibition, new project

    'Design for the Unthinkable World' - an exhibition exploring new directions

    KORA – Contemporary Arts Center

  • ongoing
    exhibition

    MAK Design Lab at the Museum of applied Arts in Vienna. Within the permanent Design exhibition one can find a few of our projects like 'the idea of a tree', 'limited moths' or 'LeveL.

    MAK Design Lab

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