GMU:Life in an aquatic ecosystem/Jan Munske

Eisvogel

Eisvogel originates from a fleeting yet profound sensation the artist experienced while swimming underwater with his grandmother. In those shared moments, there was a sense of connection that transcended words—a silent bond shaped by their surroundings and their mutual immersion in the natural world. His grandmother, with her unique way of perceiving the world, heightened this experience. Her sight was limited, but her sensitivity to sound, touch, and atmosphere gave her a deeply intuitive grasp of her environment.

This memory inspires the search at the heart of Eisvogel. The artist explores the bird’s ecosystem using tools like magnifying glasses, endoscope cameras, mirrors, and lenses. These devices amplify perception but also create a tension between closeness and distance, clarity and distortion. The search becomes more than a physical act; it transforms into a meditation on connection, loss, and the boundaries of understanding.

The work invites viewers to reflect on how we approach what feels beyond reach. Does the act of searching clarify or obscure? Can technology bring us closer to the truth, or does it reveal the limits of what we can know? By blending sensory memories with augmented perspectives, Eisvogel explores the fragility of connection and the ways we attempt to hold onto it.

Rather than presenting answers, Eisvogel offers a space for reflection. It encourages us to navigate between what we know, what we feel, and what may always remain elusive.

Tools

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Resaearch / experiments on aesthetics

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OF INTREST

• http://www.vogelfedern.de/ev.htm
• https://mayavieth.myportfolio.com/wahrend-wir-schlafen-ziehen-wolfe-um-die-hauser
• http://www.marieleneudecker.co.uk/__tank-works__.html