Fragmentin

Fragmentin

Markers

The Fragmentin collective works at the intersection of art and technology, exploring the impact of the digital age on our daily lives and the natural world around us. Fragmentin won the SAC Art Prize in 2023. In their piece Markers, Laura Nieder, Marc Dubois and David Colombini explore the power line on the Gemmi, which runs from Chippis (VS) via the Gemmi to Bickigen (BE) and shapes the landscape, playing a central role in the wider European region. Although the electricity pylons appear to be a disruptive element in the romantic landscape, they also fulfil the original function of a pass used to transport important goods.

Fragmentin have achieved the impossible by installing an art installation on an electricity pylon that is usually out of reach. A figure has been installed on one of the pylons, which are almost 60 metres high, and it appears to be climbing up the pylon. It is unclear whether the figure is an alpinist, symbolising Swiss mountain culture, or a technician carrying out maintenance work, representing an essential profession in the energy supply industry. This ambiguity invites reflection on the role of such infrastructure in our everyday lives and how it is integrated into the landscape.

This sculpture consists of metal rods and flight warning spheres, which are typically affixed to high-voltage power lines. In «Markers», however, the spheres have been dyed bright blue — a colour reminiscent of digital markers used in image and motion recognition, as well as machine vision.
Thus, a purely functional infrastructure becomes a space for reflection between reality and imagination, function and fiction.

An augmented reality application is available on site to complement the work.

The project was realized with the support of Swissgrid and BKW Engineering.