Untitled Semaphore 79

Raul Walch (see also pp. 37, 44, 52) designed his work “Untitled Semaphore” for the Kronberg location in “Blickachsen 11”. A piece of linen material richly painted in acrylic colours is fixed onto the Wilhelmine flagstaff in front of the former Schloss Friedrichshof. The material worked in this way, installed on the flagstaff, combines pictorial and sculptural effects, taking on an artistic identity that goes beyond its ostensible use as a flag. This flag carries no coat of arms or other symbols, it is not hoisted as a sign of ownership. Though its
appearance may call up the history of the palace as imperial residence, this only serves to draw attention to the present: namely, to the present-day use of the building as a leisure and cultural centre – and as a place for artistic reflection. The flag as a semaphore points to the imaginary sight lines stretching out to Raul Walch’s other works in their respective “Blickachsen” locations: a semaphore is a mast with moving parts giving out optical signals, or also a sytem for signalling using flags; in computer science the term is used in the context of process synchronization.