It sets you thinking and it questions people's notions of what is normal. I was also thinking about Metropolis, the Fritz Laing film, which presents a glimpse of a world where men are dominated by machines and where politics and science join forces. In that classic of early cinema, there are some particularly memorable visions of hundreds of people moving up staircases, scenes which helped to inspire Viner. As a sculptor, he typically works with movement, sound, and light. For this commission, he formed a fruitful partnership with SMC Pneumatics.
Air is such a lively medium.
I've used pneumatics a fair bit to generate sound and movement, and find SMC very helpful, providing great technical assistance even for a bizarre one-off project like this one. The fact I wanted cylinders specially made to measure was no problem at all. Most of these projects are quite costly, and I tend to ask people if they'll sponsor what I'm doing, or let me have components at cost. But it is art in a scientific scene, and people can see pneumatics in action. Ultimately, you see the fruits of your work.