Kainbacher Stefan

The Austrian artist Stefan Kainbacher is known across Europe and overseas with his fascinating and profound light installations and performances. In addition to his artistic work, he is also a lecturer at the Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences in Dornbirn. Kainbacher is represented at the 9th Swiss Triennial of Sculpture with the installation "I AM WHAT". In the field of contemporary art, where technology, philosophy and interactive experience meet, "I AM WHAT" invites visitors to engage in a contemplative dialogue with themselves. The words "I", "AM" and "WHAT" are central. Realised using individually controlled LED tubes, the work is not only able to illuminate the surroundings, but also the intellectual and emotional landscapes of the viewer. The installation shows an endless sequence of animations that constantly interweave the words in a variety of configurations, such as "I AM", "I AM WHAT", "WHAT I AM", "I AM WHAT I AM". In this way, the installation reflects the uninterrupted flow of human thought and the search for self-understanding. Visitors are greeted by a constantly changing display of phrases that prompt questioning. These questions initiate a journey of self-reflection that encourages each individual to reflect on who they are and their place in existence. The approximately five-metre-high work, which is reflected on the calm surface of the water, thus becomes a beacon of introspection that can be seen from afar.

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«It is important to me to create artwork that is an experience - both aesthetically and in terms of reflection and reception. "I AM WHAT" focuses on the question of existence: WHO AM I?»