#033 Coincidence Setup / re-active platform

Coincidence Setup

Materials: Plastic, wood, carbon fibre, custom electronics, programming, Geiger counters

Concept Statement

Coincidence Setup investigates the philosophical and scientific boundaries between randomness and pattern, questioning our understanding of simultaneous events and their perceived meaning. This kinetic installation examines whether temporal coincidence implies causality or represents pure chance.

Technical Description

The installation employs a sophisticated coincidence detection circuit consisting of two Geiger counters calibrated to identify cosmic ray particles (muons) from space. This detection system controls a modular kinetic display featuring two groups of floor-to-ceiling vertical louvers, each equipped with computer-controlled motors for precise axial rotation.

The installation operates through programmed choreographic sequences that are periodically interrupted by cosmic ray detection events. These interruptions create unpredictable variations in the otherwise systematic movement patterns, generating what the artist terms a "circuit of the second degree"—where physical motion becomes dematerialized through shadow projections.

Artistic Objectives

The work explores the perceptual tension between predetermined artistic presentation and spontaneous cosmic interference. Observers experience moments of uncertainty about whether they are witnessing programmed behavior or genuine cosmic events, challenging their assumptions about agency, control, and the nature of observation itself.

Exhibition History

Exhibited at Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei (MOCA Studio), Taiwan October 8 – November 20, 2011

Collaboration

Developed in cooperation with Ralf Baecker, Karin Lingnau, Jihyun Park, Arthur Hölling, and Susanna Schoenberg as the Re-Active Platform collective.