Artist: Christian Philipp Müller
Exhibition title: Progressive Computerspirale mit Notausgang
Venue: Galerie Nagel Draxler, Cologne, Germany
Date: January 22 – March 27, 2021
Photography: all images copyright and courtesy of the artist and Galerie Nagel Draxler, Berlin
Formally inspired by Le Corbusier’s endless growing museum in the Nautilus spiral principle, Christian Philipp Müller’s Progressive Computer Spiral with Emergency Exit consists of a spiral of metal shelves – in contrast to Le Corbusier, however, with an opening/emergency exit. The total of 120 linear meters of shelf space are filled with IT technology of past generations (computers, storage media, drives, monitors, printers, laptops).
Functioning devices are connected to the mains and arranged in such a way that they age steadily from the outside to the inside. Many of the hard disks were not completely erased. Therefore, digital traces of their former owners can be found on almost all computers. This collection of random data can be accessed and used by visitors to the work. Optionally, they can also be manipulated, combined and printed.
The work ultimately deals with two central themes – the idea of searching for traces and that of the obsolescence of technical innovations within ever shorter periods of time.
Christian Philipp Müller, Progressive Computerspirale mit Notausgang, 2007/ 2008, Installation with IT computers, printers, shelves, ca. 6,5 x 6 m
Christian Philipp Müller, Progressive Computerspirale mit Notausgang, 2007/ 2008, Installation with IT computers, printers, shelves, ca. 6,5 x 6 m
Christian Philipp Müller, Progressive Computerspirale mit Notausgang, 2007/ 2008, Installation with IT computers, printers, shelves, ca. 6,5 x 6 m
Christian Philipp Müller, Progressive Computerspirale mit Notausgang, 2007/ 2008, Installation with IT computers, printers, shelves, ca. 6,5 x 6 m
Christian Philipp Müller, Progressive Computerspirale mit Notausgang, 2007/ 2008, Installation with IT computers, printers, shelves, ca. 6,5 x 6 m
Christian Philipp Müller, International Commitment, 1998, 16 image transfers with blue carbonless paper on 300 gm2 Hahnmühle cardboard, bright white, framed, 53 x 73 cm each base with two Leitz folders: correspondence in English with 16 international companies based in Cologne, Germany
Christian Philipp Müller, International Commitment, 1998, 16 image transfers with blue carbonless paper on 300 gm2 Hahnmühle cardboard, bright white, framed, 53 x 73 cm each base with two Leitz folders: correspondence in English with 16 international companies based in Cologne, Germany
Christian Philipp Müller, KÖLN MACHT ZUKUNFT, 1998, 16 image transfers with blue carbonless paper on 300 gm2 Hahnmühle cardboard, bright white, framed each 53 x 42 cm base with two Leitz folders: correspondence in German with 16 international companies based in Cologne
Christian Philipp Müller, KÖLN MACHT ZUKUNFT, 1998, 16 image transfers with blue carbonless paper on 300 gm2 Hahnmühle cardboard, bright white, framed each 53 x 42 cm base with two Leitz folders: correspondence in German with 16 international companies based in Cologne