telefunken

Carsten Nicolai’s work has the effect of making the observer aware of the continuity between form and sound, or the synesthesia between the visual and aural senses. When sound produced by waves is captured materially as particles, it is transformed into something visible and tangible, an “audible plastic.” 

Telefunken was originally conceived in 2000 as a single-channel piece, which was later developed as a four-channel installation, on display here. All the existing versions of the piece operate on the same principle: the audio signal of a CD player is connected to the video input of a TV Monitor. The audio tracks of the CD—impulse frequencies and various test sounds—are therefore translated into an abstract image, interpreting the impulse frequencies as horizontal stripes on the screen. The respective intervals or the width of the impulse correspond with the density or width of the line of the image on the screen. The equipment upgrade of the current version (analogue to digital) enables new visual interpretations, expanding the acoustic and visual spectrum of the installation substantially.