Motorised seesaws take over former church

One hundred and fifty motorised seesaws have been installed in a former church in Austria, in a work of art by Swiss artist Zimoun. Zimoun’s latest installation is aptly called ‘150 prepared dc-motors, 270kg wood, 210m string wire’.



The seesaws are made from long batons that pivot vertically on short upright lengths - making a discordant, rhythmic sound that echoes around the church as they strike the floor.

Each seesaw has a motor that powers a thin metal arm. They are scattered around the nave and transepts of Klangraum Krems - a Gothic church which has been converted into an arts space in the town of Krems an der Donau.


Vimeo link.

"The sum of all those individual systems is generating rich textures in sound and motion, while the architecture of the church is reflecting and amplifying all the tiny sounds all over the space," Zimoun said. The installation is open until July 26th.