Robin Woern

Pi is a kinetic sculpture based on the noise of randomly distributed digits of the eponymous number.

The noise appears as a seemingly inexhaustible well of non-periodic elements, setting the objects in motion. In turn, the object’s shapes communicate the source.

Concept

Does Pi belong to the numeric range of normal numbers? Yet, not entirely proven, new algorithms suggest just that. All its decimal places and number blocks of a certain length appear (asymptotic) equally frequently. This property makes Pi a source of randomly distributed digits that occur equally often.

Visuality

Every of the ten installation objects represents a decimal place’s integer, zero to nine. The seemingly infinite quantity of digits triggers the rotating movements of the objects with a predestined sequence but without any repeating patterns.

Exhibition view: Haus der Kulturen der Welt Berlin, Forward Festival 2024 © Niklas Thran

Steel tubes, black MDF, wood, plastic, stainless steel, electric motors, Arduino, software
450 × 45 × 175 cm

Created at Dresden University of Fine Arts
Supervision: Carsten Nicolai
Development by Niklas Thran
Sound: Jacob Korn

Exhibited at:
Forward Festival
Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW)
Berlin
29.+30.08.2024

Exhibited at:
Annual exhibition 2022
Dresden University of Fine Arts (HfBK)
Dresden
16.07.–24.07.2022

Special Thanks to:
Alexander Nitzke, Carsten Nicolai, Cornelia Vogel, Elias Wegert, Harri Neumann, Jacob Korn, Jussi Ängeslevä, Lukas Esser, Moritz Hundbiß, Patrick Kaspar, Ralf T., Sophie Hundbiss, Stefan Schleupner, Omani Frei

Exhibition view: Haus der Kulturen der Welt Berlin, Forward Festival 2024 © Niklas Thran

Exhibition view: Haus der Kulturen der Welt Berlin, Forward Festival 2024 © Niklas Thran