Ethereal Fleeting (urban version)

artificial weather installation, 2018-2019
in collaboration with Itamar Bergfreund & Bruce Yoder

A continuous series of clouds, generated by a silvery machine-like sculpture, float over its surrounding and slowly dissolve into thin air again. This seemingly natural phenomenon can be observed in strangely repetitive patterns. Its formation is indeed programmed and conceals an algorithmic poem, coded into the winds. The air is used as an ephemeral storage medium, its content gradually dissolving over time. A metaphor for our modern societies: we are constantly writing our stories into the atmosphere – both consciously and unconsciously – manifesting energy into tangible, albeit transient, forms.

The installation is an attempt to synthetically reproduce one of nature’s most stunning marvels outside of its expected context. Though this endeavor appears to be doomed to failure, it raises various questions regarding how we interact with our environment, as well as on our desire to imitate and eventually control nature. This supposed contrast between technology and nature is explored in a scope of unseen possibilities of sustainable interdependence.

_Exhibitions
09.2023   Marana Golo Arte Festival – Village de Monte, Corsica (FR)
10.2022   Lumières sur le QuaiQuai des Savoirs – Toulouse (F)
05.2022   MMMAD Festival – Madrid (E)
10.2021   No Way Back – Sils im Domleschg (CH)
10.2020   Light Art Grindelwald – Grindelwald (CH)
09.2020   Ars Electronica – Linz (AT)
08.2020   Sensorium Festival – Bratislava (SK)
06.2019   Liminal Festial – Bucharest (RO)
03.2019   Mirage Festival – Lyon (FR)
09.2018   Burning Man 2018 – Black Rock City (US)

_Project credits
<> Concept:
Lukas Truniger, Itamar Bergfreund, Bruce Yoder
<> Artistic direction: Lukas Truniger
<> Scientific consulting: Bruce Yoder
<> Structural design: Itamar Bergfreund, Lukas Truniger
<> Software design & development:
Adele Lin, Sophi Kravitz, Mat Pinner, Lukas Truniger

_Support
+ Burning Man 2018 Honoraria art grant
+ Mirage Festival

_Project website
http://etherealfleeting.lukastruniger.net/

Ethereal Fleeting at MMMAD Festival 2022, Madrid (Courtesy of MMMAD Festival © CENIZA)
Ethereal Fleeting at Ars Electronica 2020 (slow motion)
Ethereal Fleeting at Liminal Festival 2019, Bucharest
MMMAD Festival – © Lukas Truniger
Light Art Grindelwald – © Lukas Truniger
Ars Electronica 2020 – © Lukas Truniger
Ars Electronica 2020 – © Ars Electronica
Mirage Festival #7 – « Turbulences » – © Lukas Truniger
Mirage Festival #7 – « Turbulences » – © Marion Bornaz
Ethereal Fleeting at Ars Electronica 2020
Mirage Festival #7 – « Turbulences » – © Lukas Truniger
Mirage Festival #7 – « Turbulences » – © Marion Bornaz
Mirage Festival #7 – « Turbulences » – © Julie Treillet
Liminal Festival 2019 – © Lukas Truniger