07/08/2014 11:44Experimental Digital Synaesthetics in Fashion, Art & Science, on the iPad & online.

Page 1 of 3http://postmatter.com/#/currents/persistent-illusions

Formed at the Royal College ofArt just over a decade ago, thecollective Troika has developeda powerfully physical approachto installation and sculpture.Founded by Eva Rucki, ConnyFreyer and Sebastien Noel,Troika specialises in creatingvisual dissonance, tricking theviewer and forces them to solvethe visual problem at hand.

One of the underlying themesof Troika’s sculptures is opticalillusion, and the imperfectnature of perceiving the world.“We are interested in systemsand models that humans set upto create order, sense, purposeand stability,” explains Freyer.“These systems can bereligious, scientific or whatever,but always people manage tomistake these models forreality. We’re fascinated byhow these models become thestatus quo; the ultimate truth,even though they are justmodels that we set up to eliminate uncertainty”.

Drawing on the phenomena of light, movement, sound, Newtonian physics and optics,Troika’s sculptures subvert our expectations of these natural forces. Recently showing atthe Art Basel, Troika’s ‘Dark Matter’ (2014) created a metaphysically confusing form thatunited a circle, square and hexagon, depending on the perspective of the viewer. Thematte black fabric of the piece also appeared to deaden and absorb light, making it anegative space within the gallery, rather than a distinct form in its own right. This interestin the unseen and uncanny can also be seen in ‘Small Bang’ (2013), a series of rainbowcoloured inkblots created by fil tering black ink out into concentric rings of colour.

ART COLLECTIVE TROIKADRAW INSPIRATION FROMSCIENTIFIC MODELSWHEN MAKING THEIRIMMERSIVEINSTALLATIONS.

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PERSISTENTILLUSIONSby Jonathan Openshaw | Ju ly 28, 2014

S E A R C HH O M E P R O J E C T S C U R R E N T S I N T E R V I E W S C A L E N D A R E X H I B I T I O N

07/08/2014 11:44Experimental Digital Synaesthetics in Fashion, Art & Science, on the iPad & online.

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R E L A T E D A R T I C L E S

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“Our technocratic societythrives on box-ticking, statisticsand quantifying information inorder to make things moremanageable, predictable andcontrollable. It’s a powerful andhugely effective tool with greatexplanatory power, whichmeans that the scientific methodhas muscled ahead of 'softer'approaches,” explains Freyer.“It’s seductive of course, butmore data does not necessarilytranslate into moreunderstanding. Althoughscientific analysis provides uswith quantifiable certainty, wetoo easily mistake it for the onlyway of doing things, where infact it is only one approach”.

Troika’s work seeks todemonstrate that while art canhold up a mirror to betterunderstand science (and viceversa), neither worldview iscomplete without the other. Thepost-modern moment hasrendered absolute singularity ofvision impossible, and thissituation escalates endlesslywith the Internet and networkedinformation. Troika embracesthis situation, and attempt to find a possible unity by looking beyond models derived frompartial experience of the world.

Troika currently has a major show on at the Daelim Museum for Contemporary Art, Seoul,for more information see here (http://www.troika.uk.com/exhibition/persistent-illusions/).

“MORE DATA DOES NOTNECESSARILY TRANSLATEINTO MOREUNDERSTANDING.ALTHOUGH SCIENTIFICANALYSIS PROVIDES USWITH QUANTIFIABLECERTAINTY, WE TOOEASILY MISTAKE IT FORTHE ONLY WAY OFDOING THINGS”

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SCULPT ING TEXT I LES

Currents | Ju ly 28, 2014

SOUNDING SPACE

Currents | Ju ly 28, 2014

DIG ITALREVOLUT ION

Currents | Ju ly 28, 2014

ART BASEL – LOOKAHEAD

Currents | Ju ly 28, 2014

A B O U T C O N T A C T F O L L O W U S N E W S L E T T E R

07/08/2014 11:44Experimental Digital Synaesthetics in Fashion, Art & Science, on the iPad & online.

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