PUSHa/b dec/jan 2000-01

PUSHa/b is an interactive installation by PIEK! made for the exhibiton ' Move iT' organised by The Sandeberg Institute in Montevideo, the dutch time based intstitute for unstable media.
At the entrance of the exhibtion is standing a trafficlight with a typical 'trafficlight button' attached to it. By pushing that button, the light turns from red to green, and turns red in about 30 seconds.
At the end of the exhibition , on the third floor, one sees a werkion of a man standing in front of a white washed wall. In front of the werkion is a big red alarm button attached on a white supporting base. If someone pushes that button, one heares the sound of a shot that is fired and sees the man standing got shot in the stomach. Blood is splashing against the wall, and the man collapses.
To see the flash-movie to experience the interactive feeling of PUSHb, click here>> (242kb).
To see a quicktime registration of PUSHa/b in the exhibition Kyoto X Amsterdam, in Kyoto,Japan, click here>>(1,5Mb)
(Thanks to Tony Tasset and Rob Camies)

Review in 'Het Parool', a dutch newspaper, Januari 2 2001.

... at the entrance PIEK! placed a lifesize traffic-light. PUSHa is the title of the work: push the button and you're allowed to walk on. A simple action wich influences the course of events. In the first case maybe not so very radical, but the traffic light is just one half of the installation. PUSHb is situated on the third floor. In a narrow space next to the toilets, is the artist werked, literally with his back against the wall. Also in here is button within reach. But, instead of deciding over walking or not walking, this one decides over life and death. By pushing the button the artists stomach explodeds with a lot of noise. With this installation PIEK! makes a very direct, confronting experience, wich wouldn't work without the interference of the visitor. The interactivity of this work of art succeeds in making the distance between spectator and art much smaller...

Herien Wensink