MICHAEL SAILSTORFER - dead short

Denn die einen sind im Dunkeln
Und die anderen sind im Licht.
Und man siehet die im Lichte
Die im Dunkeln sieht man nicht.

“For some are in the darkness
And the others are in light.
And you see the ones in brightness,
Those in darkness drop from sight.”

Bertolt Brecht, The Threepenny Opera, Act II, Scene 5

I came across this poem because the exhibition explores the interplay of darkness and light—the rhythm of Morse code shapes both the space and the spatial experience. The poem also expresses something deeply human: a figure that either becomes visible in the light or remains unseen in the shadows. In the exhibition, I am equally concerned with human attributes, such as the hand that appears to be driven by a specific impulse, attempting to break through the wall—much like the brain. I also understand light and darkness as metaphors for the human condition.

The title of the exhibition, Dead Short, refers on one hand to a short circuit, an electrical fault, and on the other, it serves as a metaphor for a moment of failure. Sound plays a crucial role in the work, as it extends the exhibition’s atmosphere beyond its physical objects. Despite their small scale, the works occupy space through light, defining and transforming it. At the same time, I am drawn to the construction-site-like quality that emerges from the sound and the seemingly malfunctioning light.

I find the setting of the Salon particularly intriguing because it does not function as a conventional exhibition space. The objects integrate into the rooms, assuming a certain role within everyday life. They may not immediately be perceived as artworks in a traditional exhibition context, instead generating a new form of contextualization through prolonged observation and spatial engagement.

– Michael Sailstorfer