Julian Palacz

Striking Surface Playground

2012

Striking Surface Playground
Striking Surface Playground
Striking Surface Playground
Striking Surface Playground

The project Striking Surface Playground deals with two very primal, archaic topics in human history: fire and trace. Taking control over fire is one of the the highest cultural achievement of mankind. We have a deep fascination for fire, it provides plenty of warmth and light. From the first attempts of cavemen to lighting a gas stove nowadays. Similar timeless is the trace. Traces left in caves from our ancestors, traces of animals, reading tracks on the hunt, carving the name of your sweetheart in a tree or graffitis in urban areas. Theses two topics are combined in Striking Surface Playground: a striking surface on a matchbox, but in far greater dimensions on the wall. This custom made surface consisting of glass sand and red phosphorus is in consistency similar to a striking surface of a standard commercial matchbox. With the rubbing of a match on the surface another line is made on the “drawing”. A swift move, a light crackling sound and the match is lit. The sum of all lines forms the continuously expanding picture.

Kindly supported by Europe Match

Technique
red Phosphors mounted on wood
Size
42 × 30 cm & 60 × 42 cm