Robert Rauschenberg’s major technological piece “Soundings’, 1968, Mirrored Plexiglas and silkscreen ink on Plexiglas with concealed electric lights and electronic components, 96 x 432 x 54 inches / 243,8 x 1097,3 x 137,2 cm, Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Ludwig Donation
Billy Klüver in his essay in the catalogue “Robert Rauschenberg: Haywire” “… Around 1990 the art dealer Alfred Kren became interested in realising the restoration of Soundings and began efforts to support it. Thanks in large part to his efforts, in November 1996 Museum Ludwig asked me to proceed with building the new electronic system for Soundings. In December 1996 Rauschenberg told me that he had decided not to change the mirrors. …”
Cornelia Faist in her introduction in the catalogue “Robert Rauschenberg: Haywire” “… Einer beispiellosen Initiative Alfred Krens ist es zu verdanken, daß sowohl die finanziellen Mittel, als auch das entsprechende Know-how für die Restaurierung der technisch hochkomplizierten Elektronik aufgebracht werden konnte. …” / “… It is thanks to an unprecedented initiative by Alfred Kren that both the financial means as well as the corresponding know-how for the restoration of the technically highly complicated electronic system could be produced. …”