bios [bible]
The bible scribe
2007
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In the “bios [bible]” installation, an industrial robot uses a calligraphic pen to handwrite the Bible on rolls of paper. The machine executes the calligraphic lines with precision, gradually creating the text like a monk in a monastic scriptorium.
Starting with the Old Testament and the Books of Moses, “bios [bible]” produces the entire work in nine months without interruption. All 66 books of the Bible are written on rolls and then stored as written works in the installation's library.
The work is an extraordinary object with highly unusual qualities. The robot gives its product an aura and retrospectively raises the question of its role in the creation of this sacred object.
“bios [bible]” deals with questions of faith and technological progress. The installation relates two systems that are fundamental to Western society, the Christian religion and scientific rationalism. In this context, the medium of writing has always played a special role, as Holy Scripture or as a formal documentation of knowledge.
In computer technology, “basic input output system“ (bios) refers to the component that coordinates the communication between hardware and software, and thus contains the indispensable, basic software with which every computer can start up and process information. It therefore contains the first program, the first original script on which every further program is based.
“bios [bible]” writes various Bible versions in German, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch.
Luther Bible
Language: German
Font: Alte Schwabacher
Duration: 9 month
Length paper: 860 m
Width roll: 63 cm
Columns: 2,074
Books: 66
Chapters: 1,189
Verses: 31,175
Characters: 3.5 million
Reina Valera Bible (fragment of the Old Testament)
Language: Spanish
Font: Rotunda
Duration: 3 month
Length paper: 180 m
Width roll: 63 cm
Columns: 451
Books: 8
Chapters: 236
Verses: 7,212
Characters: 766.930
Almeida Bible (New Testament)
Language: Portuguese
Font: Rotunda
Duration: 2 month
Length paper: 184 m
Width roll: 63 cm
Columns: 497
Books: 27
Chapters: 260
Verses: 7,958
Characters: 811,320
Statenbijbel
Language: Dutch
Font: Hybrida
Duration: 11 month
Length paper: 1,064 m
Width roll: 63 cm
Columns: 2,724
Books: 79
Chapters: 1,371
Verses: 37,291
Characters: 4.6 million
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