Black Box

Piece info

If an eliminated single photon (light quantum) moves in an outwardly closed system and is not observed, it is not disturbed in its movement. But if it is observed now, it interacts with other photons in order to transmit the information about this photon to be observed to the observer. In this way it is only possible to determine either the instantaneous velocity of the photon at a certain time or their instantaneous position. The accuracy of one determination is always at the expense of the accuracy of the other.

The observation or investigation of a particle therefore always results in an interaction with it, which leads to a change of its state. How the particle behaves when it is not observed is thus completely beyond our ability to determine.

These considerations underlie the present sound installation. The particle to be investigated is, however, an „acoustic quantum“, i.e. an eliminated single frequency – a sinusoidal oscillation. It is located inside the black box and is not perceptible from the outside. It is therefore not observed – in this case probably rather eavesdropped. Only through active eavesdropping does one interact with the object under investigation. But already this causes a change.

Put your ear to the Black Box!

and experience the tonal changes with different interactions – i.e.: placing the ear with different contact pressure on the black box.

There are 3 different examination objects available.