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Draenert’s ...tische‘
© by Walter Giers
The story:
A well known furniture manufacturer comes along with the offer to produce two or three tables, designed by me!
My first thought (in shock): I am, now, supposed to market commercially some of my "super ideas".
Second (desperate) thought: A "super concept" will have to be generated!
Third (constructive) thought: After three glasses of schnapps and clouds of cigarette smoke I developed...
The idea:.... tische (tables)!
derived from the common German adjectives like fantastisch (phantastic) or optisch (optical). Now a completely
new free space opens up for me for choice of materials, techniques and contents! The wishes of the doctors Draenert
(junior and senior) such as "light as such" or "in motion", as well as, acoustic expressions should be implemented into
diverse ...tischen (tables). After collecting approximately 50 words which end with "-tisch" (table) and approximately
30 computer simulations the Draenerts decided in favour of 14 models, which my partner Berthold Beuthe and I had made (see attached list).
The "sample collection", therefore, consists of ....tischen (tables) which in part show static functions such as the fe-tisch (fetish), ess-tisch (dining table) or ellip-tisch (elliptic). Somewhat more eventful are the elas-tisch (elastic), crazier the fantas-tisch (phantastic), economical the aske-tisch (ascetic), more electronic the chao-tisch (chaotic), op-tisch (optic), kubis-tisch (cubist), atlan-tisch (atlantic), quadra-tisch I+II (square), futuris-tisch (futuristic), the "Elmar Daucher" phone-tisch (phonetic) and expensive the interactive "Stamm-tisch" (Table reserved for the regulars).
The result:
A conglomerate of designs which, partially, have the effect from meditative to amusing.
Previewing by specialists and lay persons showed totally different preferences.
Hot and hopefully extending into the future - the discussion:
Is this design or arts? Show window design or museum art?
I don"t care about this kind of drawers as I am a media artist and designer in one person.
Are differentiations indeed really desirable?
To describe these tables is possible - to experience them is better!
The ...tische (tables) manufactured first are all prototypes and the decision which ...tische (tables) will be manufactured as
originals [1 to 6 time(s)] or go into series (signed and numbered) lies with the Draenerts".
About the ...tischen (tables):
- Originally there was the word: fantas-tisch (phantastic)
An additional kink in the brain solved the problem;
36 Fanta (a well known soft drink in Germany) bottles in a cube illuminated from underneath!
The cube carries the transparent table top.
- Originally there was the word: chao-tisch (chaotic)
I have implemented this topic by 50 metres of Illumination cable, several energy-saving lights and as
counterpoint stroboscopes. A randomly controlled sound board (own development), generating (volume can be
adjusted) numerous and unpredictable variants of music, has also been integrated into the cube which carries the table top.
- Originally there was the word: op-tisch (optic)
An age-old topic: the "Magic triangle" arranged in such a way, that continuously impossible perspectives
appear by randomly controlled light.
- Originally there was the word: ess-tisch (Dining table)
An "S", illuminated at the edges, carries the table top
- Originally there was the word: kubis-tisch (cubist)
The word and the real cube appear continuously in slowly changing colours. In a normal illuminated room the kubis-tisch
appears pastel-coloured, in a very brightly lit room in white and in a dark room puffy. The experience is of interest,
that each momentary shade of colour triggers different emotions depending on the previous colour; a yellow, which follows
a blue has an effect differing from a yellow which follows a green!
- Originally there was the word: fe-tisch (fetish)
A screw clamp solution: the fe-tisch utilises used ladies underwear in a novel way.
Objectively: Ladies underwear is fixed by two 4 screw clamps between two glass plates.
The clamps serve at the same time as the table legs!
- Originally there was the word: atlan-tisch (atlantic)
A blue shining tangle of wires under a smoke tinted table top resembles water. Little sparkling lights, which
resemble the glittering sea, can be switched on. The effect is very restrained or rather meditative.
- Originally there was the word: elas-tisch (elastic)
A very direct non-electric solution: A table cut from recycled foam, looks sturdy - is instable and the practical
value is doubtful.
- Originally there was the word: quadra-tisch 1 (square)
A basic cube is visible under the table top on which continuously, radially symmetric, always new light compositions
appear in 16 squares. The illumination is controlled by a random-check generator. The random-check generator causes
an unpredictable sequence and by this (also like in diverse other tables) a minimal optical wear.
- Originally there was the word: quadra-tisch 2 (square)
Across the whole table top in 7 x 7 = 49 light squares randomly controlled compositions can be experienced.
- Originally, the initiating idea came from my Stamm-tisch (Table reserved for the regulars), made in 1996:
Four interactive chairs form, tightly placed together, a "Stamm-tisch. They talk, with a somewhat reduced vocabulary,
to each other without human action - like in a real pub.
The back rests show the same electronic interior, the brain volume is, in this case, reduced to 0.5 Megabyte.
People can, by occupying the chairs, actively introduce themselves into the dialogue. They are stepping out of the role of passive observation and become part of the art observation.
The chairs can listen and answer more or less sensibly.
The interactive "Table reserved for regulars" uses, instead of beer, only small amounts of energy at 200 Volts.
The "Stammtisch" without table is presented centrally illuminated.
- Originally there was the word: akus-tisch (acoustic)
My acquaintance with the artist Elmar Daucher, who made stones sound by cutting into them, gave me the idea,
to vary repeatedly Daucher"s stone sounds by random-check generator. The load bearing cube purposely points
optically to Elmar Daucher"s work.
- Originally there was the word: futuris-tisch (futuristic)
Shining red points amble, randomly controlled, through a white wire structure. Pauses in the action bring the recipient
to lie in wait in expectation - the effect is therefore very ambivalent: Change of emotion between meditative relaxation
during the active phase and tense expectation - when the lights are static. Randomly controlled music can be switched on.
Statistically, the sequence of sounds repeats itself in approximately 5 trillion years!
I developed the sound fragments and tested them myself for a year - without acoustic or psychic wear.
- Originally there was the word: aske-tisch (asketic)
A glass plate, a leg frame - it cannot be any simpler!
Apart from greetings from Bauhaus, my signature is probably the most valuable item of the table!
- Originally there was the word: ellip-tisch (elliptic)
A bent brain transformation: At a table we can view round items only as ellipses. In this case a load bearing cone
penetrates a transparent and round table top. A light source, which is activated or de-activated by touching the top
of the cone, lets the edge of the table shine. The light source also shines from below on the translucent cone.
A variant with square table top, shining at the edges, and a red cone were also made by my partner Diploma Designer
Berthold Beuthe and myself - a unique specimen?
- Lastly, the Draenert"s wish: Tisch Nr. 1010 (table no.1010)
Inspired by the ellip-tisch, Draenert wished for the edge of their 1010 table model to shine.
Also in this case, the light can be activated or turned off by touching the upper metal plate.
The light source can be dimmed and fixed in the desired position by touching the metal plate longer
due to integrated electronics (not developed by us).
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 Introductory words by Dr. Peter Draenert
Prof. Eugen Gomringer
Walter Giers - Electronic Art
Walter Giers - Biographical data
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