Echo

Genre:art walk, sound performance | Exhibiting institution:10qm | Year of creation:2015 | City/Country:Cologne / Germany |

Location:residential area | Material:sandwich board “WindMaster A0”, BW print, voice | Duration:3,5 hours | In-situ:a slab of asphalt 10 m2 |

This perfomance was a collaboration with my girlfriend, Renée Plotycia, as part of the artists’ initiative „10m2“. 10 m2 provides a slab of asphalt (10 m2 of it, to be precise – hence the name) in a parkette for art exhibitions. The slab is situated in a unfrequented, residential area and is dimly lit. There, I set up a sandwich board advertising a performance called ECHO, including my name and the date, time and location. So, around 30 people gather around the slab at 8:00pm, as had been announced, and wait for the performance to begin. But nothing begins. After around 25 minutes, Renée Plotycia arrives and mingles with the guests. Some of them already know her and ask where I was. Instead of giving them a direct answer, she provokes them: “Why not ask him yourself?” When their patience seems to reach a critical point, Renée intervenes. She shouts into the darkness: “Andreeeeeeey! Where are youuuuu?!” The reply is an echo, my voice repeating: “Andreeeeeeey! Where are youuuuu?!”

During the performance, I lay hidden on a nearby rooftop and echoed the guests’ cries. Some of them followed the source of my voice and tried to find me. They shouted „Andrey, get down!“ and I shouted „Andrey, get down!“. They shouted „Are you on the roof?“ and I shouted „Are you on the roof?“, etc. The performance lasted three and a half hours, the last of the stragglers left around midnight.

Performance:Andrey Ustinov, Renée Plotycia | Curating:Stefanie Klingemann, Frank Bolter | Photography:Andrey Ustinov |

Power Plant

location: a forest within the Exclusion Zone of the former Chernobyl nuclear power station
material: photovoltaic-set (solar panel, solar battery, charge controller), concrete, electric fence energizer

A photovoltaic power station will be installed in a forest in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. It is to be situated within a forest clearing. The basics: A metal post (average tree high) with a solar panel on top, positioned in the centre of a square concrete slab (3x3m). An electric fence surrounds the base of the structure, with its pillars positioned at the four corners of the concrete slab. The solar panel stores solar energy in an accumulator. The energy is converted into electric current and powers the electric fence. The fence protects the system from wild fauna. The photovoltaic system supplies energy to the electric fence, the electric fence protects the photovoltaic system. The two elements create a closed circuit, a self-sustaining technological environment.

The electric fence does not exceed 12V, which isn’t dangerous for animals or humans. Coming into contact with the fence is painful but doesn’t cause physical or psychological harm.

concept Andrey Ustinov
sketches: © Szlomo Tarnaroutski, 2012

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If you want to support this project, please transfer any amount on the bank account specified below. For bank tranfers please put the title of the project (“Sunny Island”) plus “project support” in the memo line:

I thank you for support!

Heart Rock

location: music club, concert hall, stadium
material: modified stethoscope, microphone capsule, speakers, audio amplifier, sound mixer, light flash device
participants: a music band (solo, bass, drums)

I will modify a common medical stethoscope: I will insert a microphone capsule into the inner cavity of the stethoscope, in close proximity to the diaphragm membrane, in order to transmit the sound of my heartbeat through the sound system. I will run a cable from the microphone inside the stethoscope and connect it to the sound system. The deep tones of my heartbeat will be exaggerated through an amplifier. The stethoscope will then be fixed to my chest near my heart. Once the microphone is plugged in, the subwoofer will start pounding the excited rhythm of my heartbeat.

My heart will play the drum!

I will concentrate on the rhythm of my heart and try to dance to it. The faster I will dance, the faster my heart will beat its rhythm. The faster it‘ll beat, the faster I‘ll dance. We will listen to each other. We will accelerate from each other. We will drive each other to the limits of possibility.

Musicians can catch the drumline up. The composition of the musical group can be different. For example: violinist takes the solo, guitarist takes the bass, and sahsofonist accompanies (variants: keybordist , flutist , pianist , and so on). They can jam and improvise. My heartbeat will activate strobe lights to add to the rock concert atmosphere. This will a live performance, an audience will be invited to rock, dance, bob, cheer, mosh, crowd-surf…

The performance will last as long as our hearts hold out….

The project is a further development of the project „Heart Dance“:, that I made in Düsseldorf / Germany in 2010:

concept Andrey Ustinov
sketches: © Szlomo Tarnaroutski, 2012

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If you want to support this project, please transfer any amount on the bank account specified below. For bank tranfers please put the title of the project “Heart Rock” plus “project support” in the memo line:

I thank you for support!

The Noisy Post

Genre:sound sculpture, public intervention | Exhibiting institution:ArtBatFest | Year of creation:2013 | City/Country:Almaty / Kazakhstan |

Location:Old Square Park | Equipment:monitoring microphone, a dome housing from a surveillance camera, three horn speaker, a traffic light button | Dimension:200 x 1000 x 200 см | Duration:two weeks | In-situ:10 meter high metal pole, old transformer booth, two open sockets |

At Old Square Park in Almaty (Kazakhstan) I found a 10-meter metal post, an old transformer box and two open power outlets fixed to the bark of a nearby tree. On the post I installed a hidden spy microphone encased in surveillance camera housing, three horn speakers and a pedestrian traffic light button. I attached a sound amplifier and a volume control knob to one wall of the transformer box. The entire system is supplied by one of the free outlets.

The horns transmit all sound within a 10-meter radius and the noise caused by the effect of feedback. When the pedestrian button is pressed, the noise stops. The system remains off while the button is being pressed. When the button is released, the Noisy Post continues its clatter.

Photography:Andrey Ustinov | Production:ArtBatFest |

Plug-in Fountain

Genre:electric sculpture, public intervention | Year of creation:2011 | City/Country:Cologne / Germany |

Location:Rathenauplatz | In-situ:a defunct fountain, a defunct photovoltaic system | Equipment:100 weatherproof sockets, cables, voltage converter | Dimension:150 x 150 x 150 cm |

There is a fountain in Cologne‘s Rathenauplatz. The fountain is not a natural well; the water is supplied by the city‘s water pipes with the help of an electric pump. The pump itself is driven by electricity generated from a closed photovoltaic system. Curiously enough, this solar power fountain has never really worked: the city government has closed the fountain for cost reasons.

In 2011, I appealed to the Cultural Department of the City of Cologne with proposal to convert the broken solar power fountain into a public multiple socket. The collected solar energy should simply be offered for the benefit of the public. The power line should be branched into several lines within the fountain housing. Several sockets should be drawn from the mouth of the fountain, giving the fountain the appearance of an overflowing water source. Anyone may use these sockets for everyday needs. Electricity is always in demand. It may be used to recharge laptops, mobile phones, MP3 players, or any other electronic device.

The proposal was rejected by the Rathenauplatz district office without giving any reasons.

Photography:Andrey Ustinov | Illustration:Szlomo Tarnaroutski |

Noise Meter

Material:platform cart, traffic light pole | Equipment:nine traffic lights, sound level meter, photovoltaic kit (solar panel, solar battery, charge controller) | Dimension:300 x 150 x 100 cm |

The Noise Meter is a design of public device for visual control of environmental noise pollution.The Noise Meter looks like a traffic light: its lights are shades of green, orange and red situated one above the other. Instead of the three lights (green, yellow, red) typical to a conventional traffic light, the Noise Meter has nine lights. They develop along the spectrum from green to red with six additional colors. This color spectrum reflects the existing noise levels. The nine shades from green to red assess the prevailing sound level: green for the lowest level (0 db) and red for the highest level (100 db). 0 db represents a value that is actually imperceptible to the human ear. 100 db and higher is harmful to humans.

The Noise Meter is mobile and self-sufficient. The energy is stored by means of a solar panel and a battery. The whole construction is installed on a mobile platform. The platform is equipped with four wheels and a handle, so the Noise Meter can easily be moved on a level road. The device will be placed in various public places, both in urban (streets, parking lots, courtyards, squares) and in rural areas (fields, forests, meadows, mountains).

To date, the project has never been implemented as a real working public device. The design itself was presented several times in different exhibitions as an “utopian” proposal. One example was my participation at the AiR programme at the Zvenigorod Biological Station of Moscow University in 2012, where the exhibition simulated the presentation of a business proposal.

The other example was the staging of a flea market as part of my official participation at the ArtPul Art Fair 2013, in Pulheim / Germany.

The Luminous Box

Genre:light sculpture, public intervention | Exhibiting institution:KHM, Academy of Media Arts Cologne | Year of creation:2011 | City/Country:Cologne / Germany |

Location:wasteland in Cologne-Buchforst | Material:image printed on a transparent photo film | Dimension:60 x 100 x 60 cm | In-situ:weathered lineside telephone box on abandoned railway track | Equipment:two solar panels I solar battery I charge controller I twilight control switch I LED strip |

The Luminous Box is a weathered lineside telephone box, which represents a photo on luminous film in the front frame of the box. The site where the telephone box was found is an abandoned railway track in a wasteland by Cologne-Buchforst. The photo shows the telephone box itself and parts of the surrounding area. As soon as the sun sets, the twilight contol switch activates the LED strips behind the photo film and the photo becomes visible. So that this process could be repeated night after night, solar collectors were installed on the roof of the former telephone box and the solar battery was installed in the box itself. Thus, the former telephone box was transformed into a “Luminous Box” in the darkness of the wasteland.

Ten days after the installation, the “Luminous Box” was broken open and looted by persons unknown. The solar collectors, the solar battery and the LED strip were taken. The box itself was still hanging in its original place.

Labyrinth for Dummies

Genre:walk-through sculpture, public intervention | Year of creation:2010 | City/Country:Cologne / Germany |

Location:Herculesberg (Monte Klamotte) | Material:Alluminium panels, building profiles, tent pegs | Dimension:200 x 200 x 150 cm |

The sculpture is a shortest fragment of labyrinth. It has an entrance, four turns and an exit. It’s a labyrinth for dummies. The work was illegally erected on Herkulesberg (Monte Klamotte) in Cologne, in a place which is established as a cruising area of the local LGBT scene. In three weeks, the hugely damaged sculpture was dismantled and transported away.

Participants:Florian Frei, Dolunay Gördüm, Alex Forre | Metalwork:Bernd Voss, Heinz Nink | Camera:Vera Drebusch, Adrián Villa Dávila, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Andrey Ustinov | Advising:Julia Scher, Marcel Odenbach, Mischa Kuball, Anne von der Heiden | Production:Academy of Media Arts, Cologne | Special thanks to:Lars Beuse |

Nightmare

Genre:art walk, sound performance | Exhibiting institution:Raumkalk Art Space | Year of creation:2010 | City/Country:Cologne / Germany |

Material:sleeping bag, sleeping pills | Equipment:wireless microphone, nine speakers, audio amplifier, sound mixer | Duration:4 hours |

There was a total darkness and heat in the gallery. There were nine randomly positioned loudspeakers on the floor. The loudspeakers transmitted a loud snort and snore mixed with some surrounding sounds, such as passing by cars, pedestrian’s steps, conversations etc. The performer was fast asleep like a homeless bum in his sleeping bag on the sidewalk on the other side of the street near the gallery. A small radio microphone was attached next to his mouth. It was the source of the original sound transmitted to the gallery.

The visitors, confused by noise and darkness, had to find the source of sound each according to their own intuition. Some spent up to an hour searching, the others left without success.

Performance:Andrey Ustinov | Photography:Alwin Lay | Sound:Reto Gnad | Production:KHM, Academy of Media Arts |

Heart Dance

Genre:dance performance | Exhibiting institution:KIT - Kunst im Tunnel | Year of creation:2009 | City/Country:Düsseldorf / Germany |

Equipment:modified stethoscope, microphone capsule, speakers, sound amplifier, sound mixer | Duration:1 hour |

The dance performance is controlled by a heartbeat rhythm of the dancing performer transmitted loudly in real time. The faster he moves in his dance, the faster his heart beats. The faster his heart beats, the faster the performer must continue to dance.

A microphone capsule is installed in the inner cavity to a stethoscope diaphragm. This modified stethoscope is attached onto the performer’s chest in the heart area. The low frequencies of the heartbeat are amplified several times and reproduced by means of multiple speakers.

Performance:Andrey Ustinov | Camera:Oleg Yushko, Rikisaburo Sato | Sound:Martin Nawrath, Michael Buchholz | Production:Academy of Media Arts Cologne, KIT |