2005
public art project by the artists' group msk7
in Friedrichstraße, "Lokale" Schwerin
The entire length of the Friedrichstraße is cloaked in artificial fog by msk7. The fog temporarily permeates the public space and subsequently dissipates into the city.
Sfumato (an Italian word meaning: "smoky", "transformed into smoke") is a term used to describe a painting technique developed by Leonardo da Vinci, which swathes landscapes in a misty atmosphere, wrapping everything in soft contours. Leonardo achieved this effect of subtle transitions from dark to light by applying many thin layers of paint on top of each other (glaze). msk7 creates an in-situ fog atmosphere using water and a blend of polyhydric alcohols (performance).
This “mistification” can be experienced as an event that adapts to local circumstances. The light and sounds of the environs change as the fog machines begin to billow out white clouds and thick walls of fog block off visibility. Morse code sounds provide an acoustic accompaniment to the happening.