ASCII.LIVE

Most people are familiar with ASCII from the list of number combinations that, when combined with the Alt key, produce special characters in word processing programs. Before it became possible to print images, representations were converted into numbers, letters, punctuation, and other symbols. The images of the ASCII Art Ensemble evoke these prints. The color scheme of green letters on a black background, reminiscent of displays on old monitors, also refers to the early history of the computer era.

During GLOW, live camera footage is translated into ASCII. The audience is filmed and can see themselves as a living test pattern. This process highlights that all digital files, whether they are photos, texts, or videos, consist of bits: zeros and ones. These bits can be converted into visible information in various ways. ASCII art clarifies the underlying system of the digital images around us and confronts the viewer with a low resolution of reality.