" the distance so close "
425 Years of longing on the Danube Canal.
An initiative for the promotion of artists, in the context of the Danube Canal.
Founded by: KULTUR 1
Opening date: 24.04.2024
Location: Kaiserbadschleuse, Vienna
In April 2024, four sails were installed on the Kaiserbadschleuse, pointing in the four different directions. The sails symbolised maritime travel by means of sailing ships. A collage of images and symbols were projected onto the sails, corresponding to the assigned celestial directions. In addition, the poem "The Sea" by Jules Michelet was integrated into the projection in the form of a Morse code alphabet, which could also be heard acoustically. The Morse alphabet is used particularly in seafaring as the basis for transmitting words using the simplest light and acoustic signals.
"The dinstance so close or so far from proximity - it is up to the viewer to make the distinction. Guided by their thoughts, longings or worries when they see the Danube Canal. The water flows through the canal like an artery of life to the oceans of this world. Coming from afar, it meets us here on the canal and then continues to flow with our thoughts on its journey towards foreign lands.
Since the early observation of the stars and the discovery of the earth's magnetic field, we have been able to categorise distance according to the points of the compass. Today, we navigate according to this knowledge in order to get closer to the distance or to get further away from it. The place where we are is always the centre of every observation. We assign every thought of distance that we carry within us to the cardinal points."
Tim Schmelzer, 2024