Transformation

„Transformation“ plays with concealment, only gradually exposing an extraordinary architecture. An abandoned train station in Glasgow from the 19th century, located under the Botanical Gardens, becomes the setting for this intervention. The peculia- rity of the place lies in the unusual openings in the ceiling. These are due to the fact that at that time the trains were operated by steam locomotives and the steam was led out of the stations through the ceiling openings. 

Fabric panels, which were suspended in the station, cover the escape of the room. Striped fabric was used for this purpose to create the moirè effect. It appears when there is a strong pattern in the digital image and can also be seen as an optical effect with the bare eye when the regular grid of the fabric is superimposed. The fabric panels in the train station move with the wind, and the optical effect comes into play. The abandoned train station is also briefly visible between the fabric panels in cutouts. Finally, the fabric is set on fire from behind. It takes only a short time until the entire room is exposed and only the ashes slowly sink to the ground. The smoke from the fire again drifts out over the openings in the ceiling, just as it did from the steam locomotives.