[ISEA2002] Artist Statement: Gebhard Sengmuller — Welcome to the World of VinylVideo

Artist Statement

VinylVideoTM is a new, wonderous and fascinating development in the history of audio-visual media. For the first time in the history of technological invention, VinylVideo makes possible the storage of video (moving image plus sound) on analog long-play records. Playback from the VinylVideoTM picture disk is made possible with the VinylVideoTM Unit which consists of a normal turntable, a special conversion box (aka the VinylVideoTM Home Kit) and a television. In it’s combination of analog and digital elements VinylVideoTM is a relic of fake media archeology. At the same time, VinylvideomTM is a vision of new live video mixing possibilities. By simply placing the tone arm at different points on the record, VinylVideoTM makes possible a random access manipulation of the time axis. With the extremely reduced picture and sound quality, a new mode of audio-visual perception evolves. In this way, VinylVideoTM reconstructs a home movie medium as a missing link in the history of recorded moving images while simultaneously encompassing contemporary forms of DJ-ing and VJ-ing.

Welcome to the World of VinylVideoTM
“Welcome to the World of VinylVideoTM” is a shop-like room that allows the visitor to experience all levels of this missing link in media history. It involves:

  1. -a shelf with all 21 Vinylvideo” Picture Disks that have been produced so far, plus some vinyl-related merchandising items.
  2. – a viewing station, including the VinylVideoTM Home Kit, where the visitor can pick his favoudte disk and watch it.
  3. – a sound station, where the original sound of the VinylVideoTM Picture Disks can be heard and manipulated. The station gives insight about the sound-image correlation of the VinylVideoTM technology.
  4. – several displays of Vinylvideom Picture Disk Covers and other related items.
  5. – a web terminal to gather additional background information about VinylvideoTM, to convert own images into sound by using the proprietary Trashpeg technology or to look up the catalog of available Picture Disks and other related products.

VinylVideoTM is an Austrian cooperation between:

  • Gebhard Sengmuller,
    an artist working with new technologies
  • Gunter Erhart, an information scientist
  • Martin Diamant, and experimental physicist
  • Rike Frank of Best Before.
    Please download detailed C.V.’s from vinylvideo.com/presskit.html