Art projects by Rainer Prohaska with a focus on modular and temporary architecture 
Rainer Prohaska
Krems and Vienna/Austria
mail@rainer-prohaska.net

Abstract:
Austrian artist Rainer Prohaska presented current projects which deal with modular temporary architecture: "Toy-Kit Architectures" are over dimensional sculptures and interventions which are made of tension belts and prefabricated elements from the field of constructions sites, and only exist for a certain period of time. "The 'Z'-Boats – Modular Barges" is a 2 month-project on the river Danube, where a simple wooden boat construction was extended to a swimming sculpture with material bought along the river.

Keywords:
Art, Sculpture, Architecture, Danube, Ship, Project

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In his speech Austrian artist Rainer Prohaska presented a selection of his current projects, which focus on modular and temporary architecture. 

1.) "Toy-Kit Architectures"

Under the term "Toy-Kit Architectures" artist Rainer Prohaska manufactures temporary sculptures, which can also be called modular architectural interferences. They are made of tension belts and prefabricated and already existing parts from the field of constructions sites. In the course of the time these parts do not turn into a collection of objects, but get developed to a component system, which extends step by step, in order to be able to create different constructions from universal usable basic elements and connection parts again and again. 

The "Toy-Kit" as a toy of the 3rd Dimension 
This system is inspired by component systems in toy format (Lego, Matador, Fischer technique). The crucial difference to the component systems in toy format is the dimension of the elements – for example wooden poles, aluminium trusses, plastic tubes and parts of scaffolds. 

Transitoriness
After the exhibitions the "Toy-Kit Architectures" disappear completely. The sculptures are divided into their individual parts, in order to be available at a later moment as a basis for other works. The only remaining traces of these objects are analogue photos and sketches as documentation. 

Until today sculptures and interventions named "Toy-Kit Architectures" were built on a Danube-ship, in Rauma/Finland, in Hamburg/Germany and in Krems/Austria. The adaptation in size and function follows the requirements and characteristics of the location. 

"Building as a performative act"
Rainer Prohaska works with "activated groups of people as a stylistic device", initiates participatory projects, performances, and experiments with temporary sculptures as architectural interferences. Since "Creating as an aesthetic and linear process" is very important in his work, the performative act of building the "Toy-Kit Architectures" plays an important role. The building of the sculptures can be watched live and is documented online.

The "Building as a performative act" plays a crucial role also in Rainer Prohaska’s project "The 'Z'-Boats – Modular Barges":

2.) "The 'Z'-Boats – Modular Barges" 

"The 'Z'-Boats – Modular Barges" is an art project, which started in August 2007 on the river Danube. In the course of a two month boat journey from Krems/Austria to Ruse/Bulgaria artist Rainer Prohaska and his crew built a swimming sculpture based on a simple frame construction.

Four crew members, Rainer Prohaska and three alternating guests, were involved in this project from August 1 to October 3 2007. The frame construction consisted of 3 wooden boats ("Zillen"), which were connected with aluminium trusses. The extensions of the sculpture took place during the trip on the river Danube. All used materials and objects where found, bought or exchanged in the regions along the river banks.

The requirements on this "work in progress" were social functions of the constructed elements (sanitary facilities, places to live and sleep, cooking and relaxing areas), as well as a modular architecture to adapt the construction to specific needs and to transport the whole boat to the exhibition locations. Connections were established exclusively with tension belts and cable straps.

The project is documented on the website www.rainer-prohaska.net/z/info.htm, and in several exhibitions, conferences and in a publication:

Exhibitions from November 2007 to September 2008:
Dom Kaneti - International Elias Canetti Foundation, Ruse, Bulgaria
Galeria Posibila, Bucharest, Romania
Kunsthalle, Krems an der Donau, Austria

Publication in the "Verlag für Moderne Kunst", Nürnberg/Germany.

Biography Rainer Prohaska

1966: Born in Krems an der Donau, Austria.

Education

• School for Higher Technical Education and Mechanical Engineering.
• Guest student at the University of Arts in Linz, Austria. Experimental Design, Prof. Herbert Lachmayer.
• University For Applied Arts, Vienna, Austria. Experimental Media Art, Univ. Prof. Karel Dudesek.
• University For Applied Arts, Vienna, Austria. Digital Art, Univ. Prof. Peter Weibel and Univ. Prof. Thomas Fürstner.
• Erasmus-Scholarship, Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, Poland.
• Diploma with distinction: Univ. Prof. Peter Weibel.

References

2008

'Food Processing Machine' [Restaurant Transformable] • Performance • regionale08 Styria • Feldbach • Austria
'HH20' [Toy-Kit Architectures] • Exhibition • Galerie Oel-Früh • Hamburg • Germany
'Gazebo Extensions' [Toy-Kit Architectures] • Architectural Intervention • Donaufestival • Krems • Austria
'Do Not Touch Or Climb' [Toy-Kit Architectures] • Solo-Exhibition • Raumars Artist in Residence Programme • Rauma • Finland
'Do Not Touch Or Climb' [Toy-Kit Architectures] • Lecture • Rauma Art Museum • Rauma • Finland
'Do Not Touch Or Climb' [Toy-Kit Architectures] • Lecture • University Of Turku • Rauma • Finland
'Ablachsen' [Restaurant Transformable] • Performance • Kunstraum NOE • Vienna • Austria
'Salmon Sculpture Saloon' [Restaurant Transformable] • Exhibition • Project(OR) Art Fair • Rotterdam • Netherlands
'The 'Z'-Boats - Modular Barges' • Solo-Exhibition • Galeria Posibila • Bucharest • Romania

2007

'The 'Z'-Boats - Modular Barges' • Lecture • KCTOS - Knowledge, Creativity and Transformations of Societies • Vienna • Austria
'KRFTWRK' • Lecture • FAMe • Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University • Frankfurt • Germany
'The 'Z'-Boats - Modular Barges' • Solo-Exhibition • International Elias Canetti Foundation • Ruse • Bulgaria
'Construction of Hybrid Realities' • Lecture • Areas of conflu(x)ence • Sibiu - European Capital of Culture 2007 • Romania
'The 'Z'-Boats - Modular Barges' • River Danube • From Austria to Bulgaria
'KRFTWRK - Global Human Electricity' • Solo-Exhibition + Lecture • Body Navigation Festival • St. Petersburg • Russia
'KRFTWRK - Global Human Electricity' • Lecture + Workshop • Post Soviet Summercamp • Aizpute • Latvia
'KRFTWRK - Global Human Electricity' • Permanent Installation • Viertelfestival NOE • Kulturfabrik Hainburg • Austria
'Potluck and Cables' [Local/Food] • Performance • Enter_ Festival • Cambridge • United Kingdom
'Construction of Hybrid Realities' • Lecture + Publication • EMAF - European Media Art Festival • Osnabrück • Germany
'Local Convenience Food' [Test Research Facility] • Performance • Krems • Austria
'Design-Interventions' • Workshops • Krems + Vienna • Austria

2006

'Restaurant Transformable' • Solo-Exhibition • Sammlung Heinrich • Vienna • Austria
'Restaurant Transformable' [Local/Food] • Performance + Solo-Exhibition • Kunstraum NOE • Vienna • Austria
'cook it. eat it. art it is.' [Restaurant Transformable] • Publication • artmagazine • Austria
'Küchenmusik' [Restaurant Transformable] • Publication • Der Standard • Vienna • Austria
'Analog Trojan Horses' • Lecture + Workshop • Post Soviet Summercamp • Aizpute • Latvia
'Operation Cntrcpy' • Lecture + Publication • Rio File Symposium • Rio de Janeiro • Brazil
'Construction of Hybrid Realities' • Lecture • Takeawayfestival • London • United Kingdom
'Construction of Hybrid Realities' • Lecture + Workshop • Paraflows-Symposium • Vienna • Austria
'Local/Food' • Performance • ViennaFair-opening • Kunsthalle Karlsplatz • Vienna • Austria
'Z-Boats' • Exhibition • 20 Years Art- and Knowledgetransfer • University For Applied Arts • Vienna • Austria
'Unplugger' + 'KRFTWRK' • Exhibition + Lecture + Publication • STRP-Festival • Eindhoven • Netherlands
'H5N1' [Test Research Facility] • Installation • Krems • Austria

2005

'Food Derivation Container' [Test Research Facility] • Performance • Krems • Austria
'Operation Cntrcpy' • Honorary Mention For Net Art + Lecture + Publication • Prix Ars Electronica • Linz • Austria
'Shanghai-Vienna' [Local/Food] • Performance • Museumsquartier • Vienna • Austria
'Arabischer Heuriger' [Test Research Facility] • Performance • Krems • Austria
'Operation Cntrcpy' • Net Art + Solo-Exhibition + Performances • Künstlerhaus • Vienna • Austria
'Mein Kampf' [Test Research Facility] • Installation • Krems • Austria<
'Cntrcpy Is Watching You' [Test Research Facility] • Installation • Krems • Austria
'Spaceship Kasparov' [Operation Cntrcpy] • Exhibition • Museumsquartier • Vienna • Austria
'Matratzenlager Cntrcpy' • Installation + Architecture • Donaufestival NOE • Krems • Austria
'Local/Food' • Performance • Donaufestival NOE • Krems • Austria
'Operation Cntrcpy' • update-Exhibition • Künstlerhaus • Vienna • Austria
'Delta Star Ship Operation' • Work + Lecture • River Danube From Austria to Romania
'Local/Food' • Publication • mazine • Ravensbourne College • London • United Kingdom
'Local/Food' • Lecture • Academy of Fine Arts • Krakow • Poland

2004

'The Use Of Digital Media In Performance Art' • Lecture • Academy of Fine Arts • Krakow • Poland
'Local/Food' • Homerische Landschaften-Exhibition + Performance + Publication • Hofgarten Pavillon • Innsbruck • Austria
'Kosmos Kantine Komarov' [Test Research Facility] • Performance • Krems • Austria
'Machine Conscience' • Performance • Machinista-Festival Invitation • Glasgow • Scotland
'Snk/Wrms' [Test Research Facility] • Installation • Krems • Austria
'Local/Food' • Performance • Museumsquartier • Vienna • Austria
'Machine Conscience' • Exhibition + Performance • Galerie Westlicht • Vienna • Austria
'la cucaracha' [Test Research Facility] • Installation • Krems • Austria
'Cntrcpy Weihnachtserleuchtung' [Test Research Facility] • Installation • Krems • Austria
'Restaurant Vertical' [Local/Food] • Installation + Performance • Lange Nacht der Museen • Museumsquartier • Vienna • Austria
'Fahrräder' [Test Research Facility] • Installation • Krems • Austria
'Operation Cntrcpy' • Net Art + Ohne Schnur-Exhibition + Publication • Kunstverein Cuxhaven • Cuxhaven • Germany
'Operation Cntrcpy' • Lecture • netznetz-Symposium • Künstlerhaus • Vienna • Austria
'Unplugger' • Human Interfaces-Exhibition • Kunsthalle Karlsplatz • Vienna • Austria
'Shut Up, Mr. Bush' [Test Research Facility] • Installation • Krems • Austria
'Operation Cntrcpy' • Exhibition + Lecture • Coded Cultures-Symposium • Museumsquartier • Vienna • Austria
'Operation Cntrcpy' • Der soziographische Blick-Exhibition • Kunstraum • Innsbruck • Austria

2003

'Pollada Hípermedial' [Local/Food] • Performance • Casa de la Emancipacion • Trujillo • Peru
'Operation Cntrcpy' • Exhibition + Lecture • Digra - Level Up Game Conference • Universiteit Utrecht • Utrecht • Netherlands
'Hacking The Church Of Fear' • Media Attack • schauspielfrankfurt • Frankfurt am Main • Germany
'Machine Conscience' • Performance • Palais Thienfeld • Kulturhauptstadt graz2003 • Graz • Austria
'Lunch Lecture' • Lecture • Galerie König • Vienna • Austria
'Operation Cntrcpy' • Lecture • Ludwig-Maximilians-University • Munich • Germany
'Shadows Of Ourselves' • Visuals + Performance • Volksoper • Vienna • Austria
'Machine Conscience' • Performance • world wide video-Festival Invitation • Amsterdam • Netherlands
'Machine Conscience' • Performance • Donaufestival NÖ • Krems • Austria
'Guess What Time It Is?' [Test Research Facility] • Installation • Krems • Austria
'Cash & Law' • Lecture • Basis Wien Museumsquartier • Vienna • Austria
'cave contest' [Test Research Facility] • Installation • Krems • Austria

2002
'Christmas Countdown' [Test Research Facility] • Installation • Krems • Austria
'Local/Food' [Test Research Facility-opening] • Performance • Krems • Austria
'Twinnie Live Imaging' • Live Visuals For Band Twinnie/"Satellitenstadt" • Flex • Vienna • Austria
'Machine Conscience' • Performance • Steirischer Herbst Invitation • Graz • Austria
'Twinnie Live Imaging' • Live Visuals For Band Twinnie/"Satellitenstadt" • Laboclub • Warsaw • Poland
'Unplugger' • Media Attack • Ars Electronica-Press Conference • Linz • Austria
'Machine Conscience' • Performance • Minoritenkirche - Kunsthalle • Krems • Austria
'Operation Cntrcpy' • "vhs"-Exhibition • La Oficina • Trujillo • Peru
'Operation Cntrcpy' • Publication • mazine • Ravensbourne College • London • United Kingdom
'Read_Me No1 Voter' • Media Attack + Public Award • read_me-Festival • Moscow • Russia

2001
'Local/Food' • Performance + Lecture • "Künstler sehen fern"-Exhibition • Kunsthalle Museumsquartier • Vienna • Austria
'Analog Networks' • Installation • Ars Electronica • Linz • Austria
'Local/Food' • Performance • Ars Electronica • Linz • Austria
'Movements Under Slow Motion Stress' • Installation + Performance • Public Space • Vienna • Austria

2000
'Audiovisual Architectures' • Performance • Transmitter Media Art Festival • Hohenems • Austria
'Chat Room Offline' • Installation • Public Space • Krems • Austria
'Weltwunder'-Collaboration with Gelitin • expo2000 • Hannover • Germany
'B.A.U.' • Media Attack With Dr. Robert Pfaller • University Of Arts • Linz • Austria
'V.I.A.' • Exhibition • University For Applied Arts • Vienna • Austria
'Slot Machine' • Exhibition • Public Space • Krems • Austria
'Florida Print Award • Florida • USA