sun by sun

“For our project to create a sun-made image of the sun the Joya:AiR studio was just what we were looking for.
The new project called “sun by sun” required reliable sunshine because an image of the sun had to be burned onto a 1,6 m2 wooden surface by the means of concentrated sun light.

And also the fusion of arte + ecología corresponded perfectly to us as the duo sunWorks (www.sunworks.click).

Alexandra Centmayer (www.alexandracentmayer.com) is an artist trained at Kunsthochschule Kassel, Universidad Complutense Madrid, and University of the Arts Berlin. In her painting she creates worlds that often have their origins in her immediate surroundings. Individual colour spaces are created through serial work, layering, and superimposing. The repetition gradually refines the ever-new view of the initial situation.

Rolf Behringer (www.solarezukunft.org) does projects on education for sustainable development. He has established a production of solar stoves in Germany and some small-scale solar cooker productions around the world. In 2009 he founded the international solar food processing network.
He developed several schemes such as bicycle cinema, experiments with renewable energy and some solar projects in schools.

All collaboration work is inspired and driven by the sun.

In 2014 the duo won the audience award with “Von der Sonne gezeichnet” (drawn by the sun) at the international exhibition EnergieWendeKunst in Berlin.

Alexandra:

“Transforming high-tech NASA images of the sun with a very low-tech approach seemed to be a very appropriate work in this secluded and rural place of the world. The meditative act of drawing dot by dot onto the wood in preparation of the burning of the image turned the studio into a nun´s cell.

The sensation of shifting from this very small unit to the big picture was completed when stepping out at night under the gorgeous sky with trillions of stars and the milky way”.

Rolf:

“First of all, I was so happy when I saw the autonomous energy system. All electricity and hot water are produced by sun and wind. Both sources are available in abundance and it shows us so clearly that it really makes sense to use decentralised renewable energy.

Burning our image of the sun with different sized lenses for 19 days, spending hours and hours in the sun, covered by sun protecting clothes, wearing welding goggles and burning thousands of different sized dots in the wooden surface was a very special experience. It is very intensive, working many hours with the sun. Thanks to Donna und Simon for this wonderful space that has given so many artists a chance to work focused and relaxed on their projects and at the same time bringing international artists together and giving us a chance to exchange and share experience and thoughts, mainly during the fantastic dinners, sometimes under the moon”.

Joya: AiR / Centmayer + Behringer / GER