Dan Gilsdorf
“Ad Absurdum” is the transference of a work of art over a great distance that examines elements of relocation and miscommunication experienced when traveling. Gilsdorf describes a theoretical straight line representing the distance from his studio (in Portland, Oregon; USA) to the EAST/WEST Project (in Berlin, Germany) and combines that distance with a work of art, bilingually transcribed into text, by sending the transcription through an automated translation program 2,940 times; a number determined by distance of the straight line. This repetition creates layers of distortion and reveals gaps between the two translations. Ultimately, the work of art is made material in large prints of the first and final versions of the transcription, along with selections of the work in transmission. Gilsdorf’s work has been included in Portland Institute for Contemporary Art’s (PICA) annual time-based arts festival, TBA, and has been exhibited nationally and internationally.
Dan Gilsdorf lives and works in Portland, OR.