Yang Jian | Forest of Sensors

With »Forest of Sensors« Yang Jian tries to create a landscape that reminds us of the circumstances, limits and familiar experiences in our daily lives. With objects of everyday life, such as furniture, potted plants and household appliances, the artist transforms the exhibition space into an obstacle course. Sensors are attached to the objects that register movements or touch and trigger an alarm. Visitors are invited to play a sort of game in which they move through the "forest" of obstacles without being recognized by the sensors. At the same time, the paths and movements of the visitors are controlled and manipulated: Only with a lot of caution and great effort - ducking, stretching, crawling or balancing - the work can be crossed successfully and without triggering an alarm. »Forest of Sensors« sheds light on how strongly technological media, which surround us in everyday life, determine and restrict our perceptions and actions. In this way, the work critically examines technological innovations, control and surveillance in both physical and digital space.

Video documentary:

ZKM | Videostudio

Camera: Christina Zartmann, Andy Koch, Tim Wenz, Xenia Leidig
Editing: Tim Wenz