Please Empty Your Pockets

Subsculpture 12

“Please Empty your Pockets” (Subsculpture 12) is an installation that consists of a conveyor belt with a computerized scanner that records and accumulates everything that passes under it. The public may place any small item on the conveyor belt, for example keys, ID cards, wallets, worry beads, condoms, notepads, phones, coins, dolls, credit cards, etc. Once they pass under the scanner, the objects reappear on the other side of the conveyor belt beside projected objects from the memory of the installation. As a real item is removed from the conveyor belt, it leaves behind a projected image of itself, which is then used to accompany future objects. The piece remembers up to 600,000 objects which are displayed beside new ones that are added to the installation. The piece intends to blend presence and absence using traditional techniques of augmented reality, such as those described by Adolfo Bioy Casares' 1940 novel "La Invención de Morel".

General info

Spanish name:

Por Favor Vacíe sus Bolsillos

Year of creation:

2010

Technique:

Conveyor belt, mac mini computer, HD projectors, HD camera

Dimensions:

Standard model is 273 x 42 x 124 cm but can vary in size.

Keywords:

recorder, database, indoor, interactive, projection, robotic

Edition:

6 Editions, 1 AP

Collectors:

Borusan Contemporary, National Gallery of Victoria, Thoma Foundation Art House Santa Fe, Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie and private collector

Exhibitions

Freedom of Movement: Contemporary Art and Design from the NGV Collection, NGV International, Melbourne, Australia, 2022 - 2023.
Writing the History of the Future, Zentrum für Kunst und Medien Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Germany, 2019 - 2021.
I Was Raised on the Internet, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 2018.
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Decision Forest, Amorepacific Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea, 2018.
Viva, 22 London, Asheville, North Carolina, United States, 2017.
Datumsoria: The Return of the Real, Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie, Karlsruhe, Germany, 2017 - 2018.
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Transition States, Gund Gallery, Gambier, Ohio, United States, 2016 - 2017.
Mouse in the Machine: Nature in the Age of Digital Art, Thoma Foundation - Art House, Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States, 2016 - 2017.
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Lapsus Lumen, bitforms gallery, New York City, New York, United States, 2015.
Secrets, Science Gallery, Dublin, Ireland, 2015.
Art Dubai ‘15, Carroll / Fletcher Gallery, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2015.
Permanent Collection presentations of Contemporary International Art Exhibition, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia, 2014 - 2015.
INTER[IN]VENÇÃO, Fundação Eugénio de Almeida, Évora, Portugal, 2013 - 2014.
5000 Moving Parts, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, 2013 - 2015.
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Vicious Circular Breathing, Borusan Contemporary, Istanbul, Turkey, 2013 - 2014.
C2-MTL Conference, Montréal, Québec, Canada, 2012.
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Recorders, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia, 2011 - 2012.
Global Contemporary, Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie, Karlsruhe, Germany, 2011 - 2012.
ARCO '11, Galería Max Estrella, Madrid, Spain, 2011.
Art Basel Miami Beach, Galería OMR, Miami, Florida, United States, 2010.
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Recorders, Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester, United Kingdom, 2010 - 2011.

Credits

Programming: Stephan Schulz
Hardware: Stephan Schulz
Production Assistance: Pierre Fournier, Conroy Badger, Karine Charbonneau

Bibliography

"New exhibition opens at Art House." Meet Up - Art Santa Fe, 18 June 2016. New York City, New York, United States, 2016. (english) (Websites)
"Mouse in the machine: Nature in the age of digital art." Thoma Foundation, 16 May 2016. Chicago, Illinois, United States, 2016. (english) (Websites)
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de Dersigny, Anabelle. "The top five booths at Art Dubai 2015." Ocula, 24 Mar. 2015. Hong Kong, China, 2015. (english) (Magazines)
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Saux, Frances. "Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's show turns its gaze on the viewer." The Kenyon Collegian, 13 Oct. 2016. Gambier, Ohio, United States, 2016. (english) (Websites)
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