The charioteer

Introduction Silke Peters
EINSTELLUNGSRAUM e.V. 23.06.2006
 
Welcome to the evening of lecture halfway through our yearly theme. This event is also the finissage of the exhibition of Jutta Konjer and Manfred Kroboth with the titel: Helmsman, get the helm!
 
Guiding and steering of a vehicle ...is the subject of all exhibitions this year and the lectures of today in EINSTELLUNGSRAUM e.V.
 
These two terms - guiding and steering - can be hastily drawn together as synonyms as is done in some dictionories. According to this we generally dealt in 2006 with the change oder establishing of direction, for instance of a vehicle.
 
But if one looks at these two terms in regards of their origins one finds a widened field of subject:
The word STEUERN (to steer) ia a verb coming from the noun STEUER (originally STUETZE = support or PFAHL = stake). Here STEUERN was related to steering a boat, where the STEUER (=steeringwheel) was moved in the water as supporting stake and pushed the boat off the ground.
In this sense STEUERN (=steering) is a chane of direction, which is transferred by a support or another means of help developed from that.
 
The word LENKEN (to guide) is used similarly like the word STEUERN (to steer) in the sense of to give a certain direction, to lead or to guide nowadays.
Originally though the word LENKEN (to guide) comes from GELENK [middle high German lanke] (joint) and in  its original sense means as much as BIEGEN (to bend) or UMBIEGEN (to twist).
This bending was conveyed via bridles like with the modern or ancient guider of the carriage or directly by twisting the body from rider to horse.
This looking at the two terms more closely opens up different point of views of the change of direction in movement by differentiating them. But looking at the terms also shows the close connection to movement or action of a human being who pushes off the stick, turns the steering 
wheel, first turning him/herself and then the vehicle in a direction with or without aid.

This field which opens up between the moved human and the moved vehicle, between guiding and steering, offers two different starting points and different perspectives - as one can also see in this exhibition.
 
So the different steering aids here (steering wheels, handle bars and the lever construction on the wall) to an action of transmission, but the input impulse is absurd and misses, freezes to isolated form which creates its aestetical context.
 
In the text by Manfred Kroboth for the exhibition the thesis is dared that in subject/object exchange possibly not the traveller moves and turns in space but the the path itself is bent by the movement.
 
More of such different points of view and perspectives we will certainly learn in the now following speeches.
I welcome here:
 
  • Nora Sdun, leadingly activ in the art scene, in the editorial  field and much more
  • Gerrit Bendig as car mechanic, working today as deputy leader of customer service of a well-known German car company.
  • Gunnar F. Gerlach professor for philosophical esthetics and science of art.
First Gerrit Bendig will introduce us to Lenken fŸr Fortgeschrittene (advanced guiding), then Nora Sdun will talk about Wagenlenker von Delphi (the Charioteer of Delphi) and to finish Gunnar F. Gerlach will talk to us about  Dialektik der Entsteuerung (dialectics of de-steering).
Moderation by Elke Suhr.
 
We will put effort into finishing the talks and questions before the footballgame in the evening at 20.30h.
After that all interested visitors are very welcome to stay and informally exchange thoughts and view the exhibition.
Now I hand over the word to Gerrit Bendig, for all of us an interesting evening an thankyou for your attention.
 

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