The work Schattenabschaltung (Shadow switch-off) examines the multisensory effects of wind turbines on people and the environment with a particular focus on their artistic interpretation. By combining research-based analysis and artistic practice, the aim is to make the often invisible or underestimated effects of wind turbines tangible to the senses. The artistic installation developed as part of the project uses visual and acoustic elements to visualise the physical and emotional impact of shadow flicker and noise emissions.
The immersive installation is not only intended to encourage reflection on the technological and ecological challenges, but also to create a deeper emotional connection to the complex interactions between humans, nature and technology. In addition, the work is an example of how art can help to translate the often abstract scientific findings about – in this case – wind turbines into direct sensory experiences and thus enable a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
The work was first presented at the HSBI in September 2024 and consisted of the following three elements
Projection of the shadow cast with stereo sound (central element): A large-scale video projection showing the flickering shadows of wind turbines combined with a realistic soundscape.
120×96 cm object frame, filled with farmland, equipped with headphones, through which the ground noise caused by the infrasound of the wind turbines is made audible.
Video installation on an upright monitor with sound shower: presents a transformer house and emphasises its acoustic influence by means of a specifically aligned loudspeaker that reproduces the fan noise of the transformer house.