Oskarine

Oskarine is the product of a meeting between the programming artist Ulrike Gabriel and the language artist Oskar Pastior. The actually impossible task of translating Pastior’s poetry into a digital work of art was set; impossible seeing as Pastior’s texts can be read as a fantastic software in the imaginary programming language PASTIOR. Thus Ulrike Gabriel’s work became a Pastior reading within the medium of program codes. Initially Oskarine grabs texts (combination variable) from Pastior’s work, and transfers them generatively to the computer. Here, each text arises according to the rules contained in the poems, calculated by the computer and new at every call. None of the digital readings are the same—so the system doesn't merely reproduce the voice of the poet, but allows him to speak in numerous ways.
(Commentary: Florian Cramer)

Ulrike Gabriel

born 1964, lives in Argentina; an honored media artist; exhibitions throughout the world since 1990; numerous projects and teaching posts in different parts of E0urope, the USA, Japan. Work on generative systems, not only within the context of Codelab Berlin, but also at present (and more down to earth) in Argentina.

Oskar Pastior

born 1927 in Hermannstadt (Transylvania); deportation to Soviet labor camps in the Donbas from 1945-1949. After his return, casual work, German studies and broadcasting work at Bucharest. Resident in Berlin since 1969, freelance writer. A member of the workshop for potential literature: OULIPO. Numerous awards. Recent publications: o du roher jasmin. Gedichte zu Charles Baudelaire, book with CD (2002); jetzt kann man schreiben was man will, Werkausgabe vol. 2 (2003); Mein Chlebnikov, book with CD (2003).


	Oskarine Oskarine is the product of a meeting between the programming artist Ulrike Gabriel and the language artist Oskar Pastior. The actually impossible task of translating Pastior’s poetry into a digital work of art was set; impossible seeing as Pastior’s texts can be read as a fantastic software in the imaginary programming language PASTIOR. Thus Ulrike Gabriel’s work became a Pastior reading within the medium of program codes. Initially Oskarine grabs texts (combination variable) from Pastior’s work, and transfers them generatively to the computer. Here, each text arises according to the rules contained in the poems, calculated by the computer and new at every call. None of the digital readings are the same—so the system doesn't merely reproduce the voice of the poet, but allows him to speak in numerous ways. (Commentary: Florian Cramer) Ulrike Gabriel born 1964, lives in Argentina; an honored media artist; exhibitions throughout the world since 1990; numerous projects and teaching posts in different parts of E0urope, the USA, Japan. Work on generative systems, not only within the context of Codelab Berlin, but also at present (and more down to earth) in Argentina. Oskar Pastior born 1927 in Hermannstadt (Transylvania); deportation to Soviet labor camps in the Donbas from 1945-1949. After his return, casual work, German studies and broadcasting work at Bucharest. Resident in Berlin since 1969, freelance writer. A member of the workshop for potential literature: OULIPO. Numerous awards. Recent publications: o du roher jasmin. Gedichte zu Charles Baudelaire, book with CD (2002); jetzt kann man schreiben was man will, Werkausgabe vol. 2 (2003); Mein Chlebnikov, book with CD (2003).