Biennale internationale d'art numérique

The Goethe-Institut is pleased to support the presentation of several German artists in the exhibition Automata at this year's Biennale international de l'art numérique (BIAN):
What do machines sing of?
Martin Backes


What do machines sing of?
is a fully automated machine, that sings pop hits from the 1990s on a loop. As the computer program performs these emotionally loaded songs, it attempts to reproduce the appropriate human sentiments. This behaviour reflects the machine’s desire to become sophisticated enough to create its own personality.

bios [bible]
Robotlab
The installation bios [bible] consists of an industrial robot that writes down the bible on rolls of paper. The machine draws the calligraphic lines with high precision. Like a monk in the scriptorium, it creates step by step the text. Starting with the Old Testament and the books of Moses, bios [bible] is focussing on the questions of faith and technical progress. The installation correlates two cultural systems which are fundamental for societies today: religion and scientific rationalism. In this context, scripture had all times an elementary function as Holy Scripture or as formal writing of knowledge.

With the support of: ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe/Germany and KUKA Roboter GmbH Augsburg/Germany

For more information on these installations, please consult the following site: