Nicolai/Peljhan
«polar»

The work «polar» could be described as an interactive multimedia, but its complexity in a way defies this classification.
We envisioned the 7mx7mx4m space as a complex tactile matrix interface, that enables the visitor to experience the flow of data in the global and local networks in a completely immersive, yet cognitive way. The work was inspired by the notion of the cognitive OCEAN as described in Stanislaw Lem's and Andrey Tarkovsky's SOLARIS. The intial conceptual equation was:
OCEAN = MATRIX.
The main outline of the work was based on the creation of two software and hardware «engines», the so called POLAR ENGINE (with adjacent POLS, POLAR DICTIONARY and KNOWLEDGE BASE) and the CHANGE ENGINE (with adjacent TRACEROUTE VISUALISER, which consisted of two separate displays). The first was envisioned as the INPUT-ANALYSIS and CONSTRUCTION zone, the second as the OUTPUT-SYNTHESIS-EXPERIENCE zone. [...]
Basically, we wanted to create an interface between the human body and senses and the matrix, which would, by the shere presence let alone the activities of this humans, already transform also the structure of the matrix that is being observed/experienced and of the physical space that is being inhabited during this process.
Carsten Nicolai, Marko Peljhan