E. Zyklop 1 (E. Cyclops 1) has a cold, flat exterior. The body consisting of four slats layered with sheet zinc is held together by six clamp screws. In this case, Rainer developed a module construction method that permits one at any time, on the one hand, to quasi look through the Cyclops and on the other hand, that is to say, observed from "the back or the front," conveys a massive body before it.

The "monocular/stud eye" is incorporated into the front side precisely and, at the same time, a monitor that represents an eye, iconographically defined. Helmut Rainer?s Cyclops (in total, there are six at present) are sculptures that create a relationship between the observers, space, material and time. Not only the video consisting of images of an imaginary retina is based upon the time factor, but rather also the incorporation of the observers into the electronic decoding of time-related structures. In this respect, Rainer?s sculptures are electronic communicators of perception processes; the images that Rainer transmits upon the LCD monitor extend beyond its use as an electronic screen.

Everything that we see is depicted in advance upon the retina in fragmented form. These retinal projections produce simple optical models. If movements are now seen, the light models move across the retina. The manner of the flow determines what movement impression we receive. For example, those characteristics of points flowing from the external to the internal and projection forms that are accumulating concentrically extend beyond the entire surface of the retina, exclusively leading to the perception that we are moving forwards. Rainer allows the video light to ?pump? (Rainer) from the monocular/stud eye of his E. Cyclops into the retina of the observers in such a manner that our perception is constantly being occupied with new illusions.

(Suess / translation: www.dieuebersetzer.de))

Exhibitions

Helmut Rainer, 1990

Blau-Gelbe Galerie, NÖ Landesgalerie, Wien, Austria

Im Licht des Monitors, 1990

Galerie "Zur Glocke", Prag, Tschechien

Künstlerhaus Graz, Graz (ST), Austria

Kunstverein Horn, Horn (NÖ), Austria

Dissipative Inszenationen, 1991

Museum Moderner Kunst, Wien, Austria

Helmut Rainer. E. Zyklopen, 1991

Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum, Innsbruck (T), Austria

Objekt versus Raum. Zeitgenössische Bildhauerei aus Österreich, 1992

Centro Cultural Tecla Sala, L´Hospitalet, Barcelona, Spain

Galerie Gerald Piltzer, Paris, France

Museion - Museum für moderne Kunst, Bolzano, Italy

Tallin Art Hall, Tallin, Estonia

Villa Merkel, Esslingen, Germany

Vienne 93, 1993

Centre Cultural Tecla Sala, Barcelona, Spain

Galerie Gerald Piltzer, Paris, France

Kunst aus Österreich 1896-1996, 1996

Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik, Bonn, Germany

Specifications

30sec no sound color PAL

Technical protocol

Animation C64 (Commodore), 3-chip camera (Sony) (recording), Super 8 Material (color) copied upon U-Matic Lowband; analog editing system U-Matic Lowband; U-Matic Lowband (Master).

A channel sculpture: A sheet metal module with colorless paint, integrated LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), 6 metal screw clamps, a player (VHS), loading capacity 27x21x180.

Production

Helmut Rainer

Edition

Sammlung des Niederösterreichischen Landesmuseums, St. Pölten

Copyright

Helmut Rainer

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