Markings  Franziska Windisch Jan 2016 -

During her residency Franziska Windisch pursues an artistic research on knots. More specifically on knots as a mean to understand space and movement.

A knotted string has been in many cultures an instrument to record information, to mark specific places or entrances, but also to localize oneself in space and to navigate through it. The sounding line to measure depth, the knot line to measure speed, the kamal to measure the latitude, just to name a few, are all devices that are based on the simple structure of a number of knots tied into a cord. Thinking about sequences of knots as a text, a knotted string is actually a medium, as there is not only the possibility to read but also - in adding new knots as memory marks - to write.

This ancient devices came mainly into play when visual elements were lacking to understand and identify the surrounding, like on the open sea, in unknown terrains. The strategy here is to sense (the knot between the fingers) and to count, which is in a way a form of listening. It is no surprise that the sounding line was replaced later by actual sound: a sonar sends a short sound signal and the duration of the returned echo determines the distance to the ground.

As there are manifold links to parameters of sound, to notation, even to musical instruments, Windisch is strongly interested into the question how sound, space and practices that are based on knots can relate to each other.

Proceeding from the research on this topic she developped the sound installation „On Random Walks“