Light Matter

Five minutes of pure irritation of the retina in the human eye. It all starts with dim flashes of light slowly intensifying into a staccato of dark and light, with extreme contrasts. Stimulating the eye’s photo-receptors, the impulses work their way to the brain, creating an illusion of color where there is nothing but an inferno of black and white. Virgil Widrich refers to a phenomenon first described by two scientists in the 19th century. The effect is perceived differently by every viewer. You may glimpse some distant colors in the depths of the strobe, or you may be reminded of 1980s’ gaming aesthetics with visuals flashing in red and green. (Viennale)