Interface I investigates the boundary between two interacting systems rendered into the physical. One system is a compound of motors, strings and elastic bands arranged horizontally. The two units face each other vertically. Each motor of one level (top, bottom) is connected to its opposite with a string, meeting in between. Both motors pull their strings in the opposite direction (as in a tug of war). At the junction of the strings, a mesh of elastic bands connects the string to its neighbours. The mesh couples each element to its surrounding elements in order to achieve a local emergent behaviour. In order to excite (stimulate) the system’s behaviour, each motor is fed with random impulses of different pulling strength. Random signals are taken from a number of Geiger-Müller tubes used as an entropy source. The Geiger-Müller tubes pick up the natural ambient radiation of the Earth. This noise acts as a catalyst that enables the systems to change.

As the process begins the systems start to negotiate an interface / boundary surface (Grenzfläche) between the two separate organisations. The behaviour of this system is not programmed or choreographed, the shapes and behaviour develop due to the interactions of the many individual elements. Depending on the force distribution of the opposing motors, the units move either upwards or downwards. At the same time the overall forces of the neighbouring elements influence this movement and vice versa.

Interface I investigates complex interactions of entities in some kind of encapsulated space. Complex and emergent behaviour appears on different scales and in different realms, ranging from biology, social science, computer science, anthropology to economics and politics. By taking away any references to something in the world, Interface allows manifold interpretations. The installation takes a closer look at the construction of digital images. Here the focus is on the relation of the almost infinitely fast signals / switching operations in the materials of the machine and the stable / static / ordered images appearing on the outside. Interface I removes the distinction between process and display (output) by making the display (the mesh or rubber bands) the crucial part that defines the outcome of the process (behaviour).