Andreas Methods Session One

T8E18E – Necessity and relevance of hypothesis

What

In this work, social, psychological and philosophical observations in reference to hypotheses have been documented and visualized in the form of a book. The book is providing scientific texts, as well as modern literature next to photography that has been done to underline the hypotheses in those texts. The given text is sometimes provided as excerpts, summaries, or quotes.

How

Visually, the work is playing with the viewer’s perception and his assumptions by arousing, confirming or debunking them. The graphical parts provide different ways of interpreting the given context. With only using two colors specific reactions are being triggered on the viewer. The dark blue is soothing, but also symbolic for the work with hypothesis. Not only is there being done a “trip into the blue”; the color is used in literature for distance, desire and clarity. After all the construction of hypothesis has one purpose: the desire to create clarity. Black is being used for the parts of knowledge.

Why

In our social structure, one quickly subordinates to given systems taking them as granted. It is expected or assumed, that this would be the right way to live in order to find happiness or satisfaction. But what leads people to this assumption? Why are live changing decisions being made by relying on assumptions? This work is addressing people who are questioning the basics of living. Whether they are in the middle of starting their job career, or retired: many people are experiencing a new reflectiveness, maybe even crisis and are thinking about what is important in their lives.

Poesie des Destruktivismus

What

This work is an installation consisting of a video being showed on a old CRT-Television and is being surrounded by cables and wires. The video itself is showing various excerpts of imagery. The constant and abrupt shifting reminds of switching through TV stations. Teletext is being shown as well as corrupted videos of a beach scene, printing an artwork, a person being glitched into a window, a rocket launch, a person being bored and – as a closing – completely destroyed video material.

How

The chapters are divided through individual staged moderations and connected through one common idea: the futuristic manifesto. The moderations are being narrated in fragments either by using distorted voices, or fake Teletext prompts and DVD-menus. The videos are accompanied by self composed music, that on its own is leaving an incomplete and fragmentary impression. The video installations have been displayed on a CRT-screen that was covered in old wires and cables, intending to represent rapid technological progress as well as already obsolete technology.

Why

We are living in times of great technological progress. There are plans of uniting man and machine, but still we have to struggle with old afflictions: there is no universal remedy against boredom, depression, burnouts or other sufferings. Instead, one has the responsibility to develop oneself further rather than leaving everything up to technology.

First World Aid

What

The project “First World Aid” was done in collaboration with Thomas Bögle and Simon Gogolin. It consists of a sticker-­magazine being produced by a risograph and is self-­published in order to quickly create a cheap possibility to “help”. It visualizes the tiny challenges of our daily routine and categorizes them. The stickers have messages written on them, like for example “I’ve seen a friend on the bus – now I can‘t listen to music anymore”, “I’m so drunk that the party isn’t fun any more”, or “I cannot work outside because my screen is reflecting the sun”

How

The sticker magazine explains by philosophical topics what problems are and reveals their true causes; it explains why human beings have to use their own mind, as it had been demanded before by Immanuel Kant in the 18th century. We searched solutions for todays abstract difficulties. The stickers are showing the problems and one possibilites to solve it in a humorous manner. The whole project offers an appeal to encounter philosophical topics to solve a problem faster in the future. Because every human being in the First World must dedicate his time to the giant global ­challenges of our world, and not to his own daily grind!

Why

In our so called First World problems of luxury are arising: goods covering the basic human needs abound, chances and possibilities seem to be endless and machines are improving our human entity which becomes as comfortable as it has never been before. Nowadays, problems are generated that are no problems compared to other regions of the world. “I am living in a city without subculture”, “the new update is slowing my iPhone down” or “I am not crazy enough to be an artist” are what we call problems in the First World. This work has been made to bring back maturity and responsibility to the reader.