by Andreas Muxel, Austria

The kinetic sculpture Connect consists of thirteen oscillating spheres of steel connected to a matrix with a rubber bund. A rod with a magnet on each side controls the action of each of the system elements. Once a sphere is connected to the rod, a motor activates its oscillation as long as the rod detaches and rebuilds a new connection to another sphere. Each element has its own simple program logic and there is no main program which controls the system from the outside. No random or chaos must be simulated, because the always rebuilt physical structure of the sculpture becomes its own analogue program for non-linear behavior. Therefore the system produces complex behavior, although its structure and rules are very simple.