Slattery`s Lamp

SLATTERY’S LAMP
A WORK BY MICHAEL KLIËN, 2003
SLATTERY’S LAMP
WORK DESCRIPTION
Concept and Realisation: Michael Kliën
Technical Design: Dave Guy
Software Design: Nick Rothwell
choreographic object
2004, Exhibition of Visual Arts, Ireland
Collection Irish Museum of Modern Art, Permanent Display 2005
Zoon logon echon – that’s how Artistole defined humans: as living beings, that possess a language of
rationality and signs. A definition however, that asserts every other animal, plant, stone, star, to lifeless
material or life incubating mutely in itself bears its difficulties. GERNOT BOEHMES
A lamppost equipped with the capabilities to gain knowledge, to build meaning and to express itself.
Originally conceived as a ‘choreography of thought’ this lamppost stood in Limerick gathering information
from a local pub via sensors, processed them in its artificial mind and communicated the findings by
flashing and dimming its light bulb. The work was transferred to IMMA in 2005 and since then Slattery’s
Lamp has been reworking its memories, at day and by night, in sleep and in dreams.
The work points to a rupture in everyday modes of perception: How can something seemingly defect and
displaced be beautiful when granted meaning in itself? To fully perceive and engage with Slattery’s Lamp
remains an exercise in trust.
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SLATTERY’S LAMP
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