New Media Artist Blog#1: Wolfgang Staehle

In 1999, German sculptor Wolfgang Staehle installed a digital camera in an office located on the upper level of a high-rise building in the West Chelsea area of New York City. The lens of the camera was strategically pointed at the Empire State building, capturing a continuous stream of images from sunrise to sunset. The images were then transmitted over the Internet to an exhibition at the ZKM Center for Art and Media. The installation was titled Empire 24/7. Staehle drew inspiration from Andy Warhol's 1964 film that focuses solely on the Empire State Building for eight hours.

Both Staehle and Warhol use still images to create a feeling of static. This in turn forces the viewer to take the time to concentrate on the detail of the structure and the manipulating effects of light. Staehle explained that his work aims to emphasize "instant images for instant consumption." In my opinion, Staehle's work is successful at commenting on the fast-paced nature of today's society as a result of technological advances. Staehle's use of instant images mirrors society's need for instant gratification, whether it be instant information or fast food. The way in which these constant images were presented and continuously updated creates an effect that mimics a window looking out onto the Empire State building even though the exhibition was located miles away in Karlsruhe, Germany. Therefore the installation acts as a commentary of how the world is completely interconnected through technology.

In 2001, one of Staehle's later works captured the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center as they were happening, forever preserving history in art.

I was drawn to Wolfgang Staehle's work because I feel that unlike other new media art Staehle's exhibition, Empire 24/7, and his later works are successful in that they are truthfully works of art. I believe that art must serve a purpose and compel the viewer to question the world around them. Art makes us think. Art does not have to be a beautiful painting or photograph, but rather art is a reflection of ourselves and Staehle fully reflects our world.

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