(I have put together a link for a better overview of my work process)
Under the title F.L.A.S., a series of works manifests itself that fundamentally examines matter and space in its essence. Although the individual pieces vary in their dimensions, they exhibit consistency in material and the manufacturing process.
This collection of works consists of several individually crafted fluorescent tubes, resulting from a uniquely designed production method. The fluorescent tubes symbolize Sommer's continuous interest in the transformative abilities of both spaces and objects.
The creation of these pieces is closely tied to a vault room in Vienna, located three floors below the earth's surface. This room, once the vault of a now-abandoned bank, carries inherent characteristics and its subterranean position that bring about a rich significance and impart a special, subtle undertone. Interaction with this place occurred without removing material elements or affecting its structure, preserving the space in its original form.
To him, the air of the location was of significant importance. Air consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% noble gases. This 1% drew his interest, as these gases make fluorescent tubes glow. A seemingly mundane element, yet it holds the potential to make the invisible visible. Through an intricate and time-intensive process, he managed to develop a miniaturized fractional distillation setup.
The distillation system, visible in the accompanying documentation, is a sophisticated arrangement comprising several key components. It was specifically devised to allow the separation of air constituents via condensation and evaporation.
The incoming air first had to be dried and stripped of CO2 by being routed through adsorption cartridges with 13 molecular sieves. Flow rates were precisely managed using mass flow controllers.
A condenser plays a central role in the system. It is arranged around the cold head of a cryocooler, a specific model from Sunpower. During distillation, the cryocooler operated at a temperature of -196.15°C. The thermal insulation of the system is crucial to ensure efficient separation. Therefore, all primary components were housed inside a vacuum chamber wrapped with multi-layered insulations. The system's monitoring utilized various sensors and measuring instruments. Thermocouples were employed to oversee temperatures, using a specialized software called Opto 22 to monitor and control parameters like temperatures, flow rates, and pressures.
The process commenced by introducing the vault's air into the system, which passed through the adsorption cartridges. After pre-cooling in the recuperator, the air was led into a condenser where partial condensation took place. The remaining vapor, primarily nitrogen, was recycled, while the condensed liquid flowed into the distillation column. Here, it interacted with ascending vapor, resulting in component separation. After the separation process, the raw argon obtained could be collected in a cartridge.
In collaboration with a glassblower who works in a specialized neon workshop, the noble gas could be filled into precisely shaped glass tubes. After carefully sealing the gas in the tubes, it was brought to life by applying high voltage. Here unfolds a captivating phenomenon: When the noble gas, in this case, argon, is subjected to electrical discharge, the gas atoms begin to ionize. This ionization causes electrons to be excited to higher energy states. When these excited electrons return to their baseline state, they emit photons - quanta of light. The light we see in a fluorescent lamp is the direct consequence of these atomic interactions. It is not just simple glowing but a testament to the deep and intricate processes happening on a microscopic level.
The F.L.A.S. series, with the distillation of air, the transformation of unassuming gases into a glowing entity, and the careful encapsulation of this in glass tubes, recalls the practices of an alchemist who transmutes the mundane into the sublime. The entire approach alludes to a kind of conceptual scientific poetry. Through this process, both precise and mystical, the artist suggests that every element, whether it's the vault, the air, its argon, or the light, can be understood not only in its physical presence but also as a bearer of deeper, metaphysical meaning.
Text: Niklas Koschel
