about Michael Spahr (a.k.a. VJ Rhaps) (Switzerland):  Artist, performer, VJ, filmmaker, writer and historian. Owner of rhaps.com and troesenbeck.com.  Member of international music network norient.

career highlights: Performing the audio-visual composition “Ya Sharr Mout” (“Oh, evil, die!” or “son of a bitch”) by Mahmoud Turkmani and me in Beirut, Lebanon. After war, censorship, Arab dictators and money problems almost made us give up, we finally managed to show this controversial and political piece of art.

which creative people, places and things on your radar right now?

people: I am very happy to be involved with the extraterrestrial rock band “Blues Horror Brigade”, which gives me a chance to look at the madness on this planet from an alien point of view. Definitely great fun to work with Thomas Burkhalter and Simon Grab on our scientific new media art performance “Sonic Traces”. Racing through the world with Swiss Lebanese composer, musician and guitar & oud player Mahmoud Turkmani.

places: “Bümpliz” is definitely the place to be and work - the so-called ghetto of Swiss capital Bern is full of contradictions and therefore a great inspiration for an artist. At the same time, Switzerland is located in the heart of Europe and it is very easy to leave Switzerland, which sometimes is very necessary. China, Japan and the Arab world are on my radar right now, since I am working on my digital calligraphy.

what’s your favourite daydream? To sit in a spaceship and fly light speed. At the same time slow down inside and watch the stars pass by.

what was the last rule you broke? Breaking rules is my business. I keep doing it every day, every minute, every second. Well, I probably just broke one by writing this down.

if you could ask a question of someone you respect, who and what would you ask?

Neil Alden Armstrong: “Did you really ever make that small step, and if yes, why did you return to Earth afterwards?”

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