MobiSpray – Paint My City exhibition is the first solo exhibition of photography by Media artist Jürgen Scheible a.k.a. MobiLenin. During the last two years Scheible traveled around the globe ‘painting’ on more than 130 buildings, places and objects in over 50 cities. The resulting outcomes were photographed and build the series of large format color prints of this exhibition.
Scheible uses projected light and the darkness of night for creating art in public spaces. To achieve this, he developed MobiSpray, a novel art tool for imposing large-scale ephemeral projections on the environment. MobiSpray turns the mobile phone into a spray can and allows painting anywhere, anytime on anything with only a phone, a computer and a video projector. As the traditional painter uses a pen and a linen canvas for painting, Scheible in contrast uses the building as canvas and his mobile phone as pen. The spray-painting follows his hand gestures in real-time, while spraying intensity and color change via keypad. Scheible uses his tool to purposefully change the appearance of facades and surfaces of buildings, airplanes and nature, without inflicting any permanent damage to property. Two TV screens in the exhibition space show video clips that inform about the process of how MobiSpray works and document the painting action of buildings and places around the world.
The MobiSpray works are about transforming an object or building into something new, unexpected, unpredictable and surprising by painting on them. They are reminiscent of the work of the artist Christo who wraps buildings such as the ’Reichstag’ in Berlin, Germany. With his art Scheible wants to challenge peoples’ assumptions about an object or place and bring in extra tension or play. The designated object and the painting become inextricably linked, creating a new whole. In this way buildings and objects can acquire a new power to communicate with the artist and viewer, becoming alive and of value on their own account.
The exhibition’s name, MobiSpray – Paint My City, is derived from Scheible’s motivation of painting the city wherever he goes. As most of his works are also created in guerilla art manner, the internationally renowned street artist Banksy’s motto applies equally well to Scheible: “It’s always easier to get forgiveness than permission”.
Takeover – Mental ownership of physical objects
After painting on a building or object, Scheible feels a sense of ownership of the physical object. This is reflected also in the titles of his works. For example the Guggenheim Museum in New York became ‘My Guggenheim’. By adding something new (the painting) to something that already exists (a building or rock), the new whole is created which one feels to be the creator of. The experience of the creative process, which results in a deep insight of consequence, contributes to the creation of new meaning and value.
Aesthetics of the resulting drawings
The process that leads to the aesthetic outcome often starts with searching and selecting a designated architectural façade or object to serve as the pictorial backdrop. Creating the visual expression involves transforming the building or object by projecting the very colors, lines, or shapes used in the drawing, producing an aesthetic and emotional response. In this way, through some grace of line, symmetry of form or harmony of color, the designated building or object acquires a new power to communicate. The repetition of symmetrical rings such as the bull’s-eyes and splashes, give rhythm, logic, and balance. Their placement is often orientated on the shape of the building or object. The drawing allows breaking the patterns of the objects’ natural appearance, creating a new whole with its own aesthetic value.
The exhibition is complementary to Jürgen Scheible’s Doctor of Arts dissertation defense on May 27th 2010 12:00 noon at the Media Centre Lume with the title: ‘Empowering Mobile Art Practice – A Recontextualization of Mobile and Ubiquitous Computing’. The combination of the dissertation and the exhibition aim show the power and impact of doctoral studies in the Department of Media within the newly formed Aalto University School of Art and Design. In Scheible’s case it demonstrates how the combination of enthused artistic skill, acquired design and research knowledge and practiced engineering skill leads to generate technology innovation and to empower new digital art practices. MobiSpray for example merges new media technology with traditional art forms such as painting and photography as well as performance arts. It contributes to both the international academic research body and the art communities.
Financial support by the department of Media within the Aalto University School of Art and Design and the RealUbi research project is greatly acknowledged.
Special thanks goes to Prof. Jyrki Parantainen for helping to design the exhibition.
Jürgen Scheible, is a media artist researcher and musician who works at the Media department of Aalto University School of Art and Design in Helsinki.
‘MobiSpray – Paint my city’ exhibition 24.5-4.6.2010
Media Centre LUME Gallery;
The Lume Gallery is open Mondays-Thursdays 9-19, Fridays 9-18.
Additional info & inquiry of prices of the works & live painting performances:
Jürgen Scheible, Mobile: +358 40 550 9268, jurgen.scheible@gmail.com
Website: www.mobispray.com
Aalto-yliopisto, Taideteollinen Korkeakoulu
Mediakeskus Lume, Galleria
Hämeentie 135C, 00560 Helsinki