Only on the smartphone

A crater in Lake Traunsee spits out many words

Smartphone adventure with the QR code in Ebensee: a virtual water crater(Bild: Kulturhauptstadt Salzkammergut/Eva Schlegel)

Artist Eva Schlegel is expanding the Capital of Culture to include experiences on smartphones that can be accessed via QR code. For example, a crater suddenly appears in the water of Lake Traunsee and spits out words. There are actually many words in the lake - sunk by the Nazis 90 years ago.

I am fascinated by water features, mirrored spaces, language and written images. It gets exciting when I can enrich and overlay the real world with computer-generated perceptions," says Eva Schlegel. She is one of the most successful Austrian artists internationally and is already presenting her fifth project for the Capital of Culture 2024 at the Sky Waterwalk, Ebensee landing stage.

Library was sunk
"Into the Deep" is the name of Schlegel's new creation from her series of augmented reality installations, which she describes as "memories from the future". And it leaves viewers amazed: suddenly, a huge water crater virtually bursts open in Lake Traunsee, spewing out text images that swirl around the audience in text loops. "Like flying sculptures," laughs Schlegel, "I and my colleagues Valerie Messini and Damjan Minovski from 2MVD were inspired to create this installation by an action by the National Socialists, who sank the Ebensee workers' library into the lake in 1934."

Viewers become part of the installation
The installation is made visible via cell phone: you scan the QR code on two steel stands at the landing stage, download the app, scan the QR code again - and the spectacle begins with sculptures flying around your ears in the panorama. You even become a part of it yourself.

Treasure of the Toplitzsee
Schlegel has had success with another four Capital of Culture projects, which run until December 31. You can discover - also via QR code and cell phone - floating digital eyes on the shores of Lake Traun, above the Bräuwiese and in the Spitzvilla. In the brewhouse in Bad Ischl there are "Stories about salt" and at Lake Toplitz you can trace the enigmatic treasure of the Nazis - the code is located on the lakeshore. 

salzkammergut-2024.at