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Total automation. A promise ?

    Crossing the courtyard of the MQ in Vienna a colorful sign on the otherwise grey-colored wall of the Kunsthalle catches my eye, reading,“The promise of total Automation.” Sounds interesting and yet somehow vague at the same time. I decide to go see the exhibition and get me a ticket. I also get a little booklet about the show but decide not to read it. I want to see the show without any any prior influence.

    I enter the huge hall with white walls and a ceiling shaped like a dome. Mantra-like music fills the room, endlessly playing the same tune over and over. The sound machine provides energy to the windshield wipers, which are mounted above and do their work. Like a well-functioning machine. At least it seems so. Of course one could just pull the plug and it would stop.

    On rather big screens in a corner I can see several people talking to each other. Must be an important topic, I think, as nobody smiles and everybody seems to be very concentrated. I take the provided headphones and listen to what these people are talking about. Turns out that in this group two of them know how to implement a program which finds out what time of day is the most productive for participants of this program. Like: Work only when you are really fit so you can give your best. Otherwise – well, otherwise what? I have heard enough and take a closer look at the other objects in the hall.
    Some of them can be connected to the topic very easily, some are funny in what they present, although I don’t spend too much time thinking about their actual meaning. I watch them, enjoy them without feeling the need to get detailed information from the little booklet I still carry with me.

    The show is very interesting, critical and fun to watch. Without reading the booklet it triggers all kinds of thoughts.
    To be honest, I was wondering whether the banana boxes had some meaning as well. I don’t know, but it does not really matter though. They looked great!

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