Tony Ousler: I/O Underflow

Earlier works by Oursler can be seen in the adjoining period rooms of the church, including his famous talking dolls. In daily life we constantly shift back and forth between reality and digitality, between fact and fiction. Media technology has engendered a revolution that is silently insinuating its way into our lives and society. Oursler questions how this development is changing our identity and our way of thinking. Oursler “hacks” the church, using digitally produced performances that emphasise the evolving character of the architecture and the cultural usage of the monumental building. The projections blend effortlessly into the vaulted ceiling, stone walls, Gothic sculptures, and colourful stained glass. We view the interfacing of digital and historical images, stimulating us to reflect on the assumed truths hidden behind each individual image. 

Tony Oursler lives and works in New York, USA. Born in 1957, he graduated from the California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA, USA and collaborated on early works with artists such as Mike Kelley. Deeply rooted in a conceptual framework he conjures multimedia and immersive experiences which combine traditional art making tools with new technologies. Oursler is known for his work with moving images, installation and projection. He draws inspiration from wide ranging pop cultural phenomena including telecommunications, narrative evolution, conspiracy, social media, facial recognition, mysticism and environmental concerns.