The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.
Propaganda, Edward Bernays, 1928

Magic Slate is an animated digital artwork located on the Internet, a seemingly endless stream of slogans, names of iconic figures and political institutions. Every tiniest fraction of a second, a new message flashes up in shaky handwriting on a child’s magic slate.

Hausmeister explains the concept behind Magic Slate as follows: “The visual messages we receive nowadays through the Internet feel transient and seem to be hanging in the air, broadcast from no distinguishable location and by no distinguishable author. Images, phrases, slogans, opinions, cultures and ideologies are wiped out in a moment only to be replaced by something else. I want my images to operate in that same ether and to reflect the character of visual information in the 21st Century”.

Magic Slate was launched at I-Space Gallery, Chicago in 2000. Three images were selected from the series and presented as large format prints, mounted on to canvas and suspended like political banners from the gallery walls.