The international HyperLight/Redlight project was a joint project between Rob Van Oostenbrugge and Nico Westerdale. Rob's initial idea of a communication device, based on a lightbulb and lightswitch had already worked with the AKI Media Art Department in his University in Holland. This consisted of two desk consoles, each with a red bulb and switch. These are connected together through the Internet so that the switch on one console triggers the light at the other.

The International Hyperlight project used the desk console in AKI and a wall mounted lightswitch and ligthbulb in England. These were are wired into the walls of the building in the same manner that any other lightswitch and lightbulb are wired in. The only visual clue that we are given to think that the switch and bulb may be slightly different is that both the switch and bulb are bright red.

Placed on the wall close by was an image of the back of an envelope that had a simple schematic sketch of how the project worked, suggesting that all was not as it seemed.

Using the lightswitch it's impossible to know whether the sketch is depicting the reality of the situation. The red lights were in residence in a well traveled corridor for several weeks, and as people grew accustomed to having then around they would often flick the switch when passing by.

Occasionally someone would also be at the desk console at the same time in Holland and the other person would normally be greeted with a quick on-off of the switch as if to say "hello". As only one bit of information was being transmitted each time, conversations tended to be very limited and didn't progress much further than "hello" and the occasional game of ping-pong, where the light is flicked back and forth, which I noticed several people trying.

Rob Van Oostenbrugge

AKI