"AIR" is an interactive, multi-sensory indoor installation created by the German contemporary artist Mark Huebner.The project was staged at the Praterinsel in Munich, Germany, an old, converted factory-turned-artist-colony where Huebner established his first studio in 1989. His exhibition ran in parallel with a show by the famous American musician and artist David Byrne.Key Concepts and Components of the InstallationThe Core Theme: Subtitled "An atmospheric experience and impact in an indoor environment with visual and mechanical interaction," the installation focused deeply on the invisible, life-giving, yet potentially destructive nature of air.Physical & Mechanical Interaction: The installation required physical participation. Visitors inhaled bottled oxygen from multiple tanks. Concurrently, they were blasted with high-velocity wind generated by an aircraft propeller mounted inside a heavy safety cage.Visual Symbols: The installation incorporated a "tornado print" intended to visually symbolize the raw, devastating power of this otherwise invisible element.Artistic ContextDuring this phase of his career in the 1990s, Huebner was highly focused on large-scale sculptural installations, physical mechanics, and live performances, working alongside notable contemporary art figures like Robert Rauschenberg, Keith Haring, and Jim Whiting at the Praterinsel. He later carried these environmental and atmospheric themes forward into his 2003 Atmósfera project at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Costa Rica.
This installation was lined up with a parallel exhibition by David Byrne, focusing on the invisible but live giving substance: Air.
Breathing oxygen from six tanks and being blown away by an aircraft propeller made this substance a tangible experience.
I generated the three meter cargo prop with an electric motor.
The tornado print symbolizes the destructive force of this transparent material.
Interactive installation at Praterinsel/ Aktionsforum, consisting of an electric generated aircraft propeller, 6 oxygen tanks, a star-fighter seat and a large print of a tornado
![BAMBOO ROCKS [S.A.] by MARK., Image 1.](https://assets.artworkarchive.com/image/upload/t_jpg_medium_width/v1/user_42700/pitoza_1655_sw_mod._1_wh8d8y.jpg)
