The local authorities were challenged by weekly semaphore performance sessions in front of public web- and surveillance cameras at the Main Square in Graz: The favorite place for our semaphore workshops was between the webcam over the entrance of the City Hall, and the police CCTV cam nearby.

The square has been in the focus of public discussions for several years. Graz as the European Cultural City in 2003 and UNESCO World Cultural Heritage since 1999, has undergone several changes. The historic inner city has been "cleaned" several times - first in the sense of restauration of the old buildings and replacing cobblestone, and as a second step by banning homeless people, beggars, punks, but also "ordinary" young people hanging around the old fountain as a meeting point for communication without the pressure to consume. Sitting on the fountain and drinking alcohol has been prohibited (it is allowed a few steps further at the market booths selling alcohol), and there are frequent police controls checking people, who sit there with any drink.

The photos of the public performance sessions were continuously added to the exhibition in progress at Medienkunstlabor. This aspect of "Talking the Fish" was merged with the "Faceless" project of Manu Luksch.

Photos: Doris Jauk-Hinz, Eva Ursprung