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From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition. A drawn image of a house, sitting on a dark hill. The house is dark, but bright green lights on the inside of the house shine through the window and cast light on the hills.

Torsten Lauschmann

Startle Reaction

22 October 2011 - 08 January 2012

Torsten Lauschmann's work is informed by his interest in the earliest forms of magical entertainment and the latest technical innovations. In his largest solo exhibition to date, he explored the use of tools, techniques and systems to solve problems, with the aim of bypassing the tension between optimistic and sceptical attitudes towards technology. Startle Reaction uses Lauschmann's interest in automatons and cinema to play with the notion that we are capable of believing in things we know are false.

From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition in DCA. A houseplant sits on a shelf with a spotlight on it. In the background, there is a projected, symmetrical image of a purple globe, with an oval with black x's behind it.

The exhibition will feature new commissions alongside significant works from the past decade, including Misshapen Pearl (2003), a wistful investigation of the streetlamp’s function in consumer society. Skipping Over Damaged Areas (2010) shows a series of film titles narrated by a voice-over artist, creating a new and unexpected narrative from the appropriated footage.

Born in Germany in 1970, Torsten Lauschmann lives and works in Glasgow. He has exhibited work widely, including at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh; Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami; ICA, London and Arnolfini, Bristol. In 2006 he created World Jump Day, a high-profile hoax encouraging people across the Western Hemisphere to jump at the same time in order to shift the Earth’s orbit. More recently, he received the inaugural Margaret Tait Award and a Vital Spark commission from Creative Scotland, and he has been shortlisted for this year’s Jarman Award. Torsten Lauschmann is represented by Mary Mary, Glasgow.

www.torstenlauschmann.com

Artist Video | Torsten Lauschmann on Startle Reaction

Torsten Lauschmann: Exhibition Notes

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Exhibition images

From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition. A drawn image of a house, sitting on a dark hill. The house is dark, but bright green lights on the inside of the house shine through the window and cast light on the hills.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition. A person walks in front of bright green and blue lights projected on DCA walls.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition in DCA. Blurry lights, in pink, yellow, orange and green, are projected on to DCA' gallery wall.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition. A piano, seen from the back, sits in DCA Galleries. On the walls, blue and green lights are reflected.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition in DCA. A disco ball sits on a diagonal shelf. A spotlight shines on it.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition in DCA. A houseplant sits on a shelf with a spotlight on it. In the background, there is a projected, symmetrical image of a purple globe, with an oval with black x's behind it.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition. A drawn image of a house, sitting on a dark hill. The house is dark, but bright green lights on the inside of the house shine through the window and cast light on the hills.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition. A person walks in front of bright green and blue lights projected on DCA walls.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition in DCA. Blurry lights, in pink, yellow, orange and green, are projected on to DCA' gallery wall.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition. A piano, seen from the back, sits in DCA Galleries. On the walls, blue and green lights are reflected.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition in DCA. A disco ball sits on a diagonal shelf. A spotlight shines on it.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition in DCA. A houseplant sits on a shelf with a spotlight on it. In the background, there is a projected, symmetrical image of a purple globe, with an oval with black x's behind it.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition. A drawn image of a house, sitting on a dark hill. The house is dark, but bright green lights on the inside of the house shine through the window and cast light on the hills.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition. A person walks in front of bright green and blue lights projected on DCA walls.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition in DCA. Blurry lights, in pink, yellow, orange and green, are projected on to DCA' gallery wall.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition. A piano, seen from the back, sits in DCA Galleries. On the walls, blue and green lights are reflected.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition in DCA. A disco ball sits on a diagonal shelf. A spotlight shines on it.
From Torsten Lauschmann's exhibition in DCA. A houseplant sits on a shelf with a spotlight on it. In the background, there is a projected, symmetrical image of a purple globe, with an oval with black x's behind it.