Wolfgang Spahn

Portfolio_Wolfgang Spahn DE
Portfolio_Wolfgang Spahn EN

Wolfgang Spahn is an Austrian-German sound and visual artist based in Berlin. His work includes interactive installations, miniature-slide-paintings and performances of light & sound. His art explores the field of analogue and digital media and focusses on both their contradiction and their correlation. That's why he is also specialized in re-appropriated and re-purposed electronic technologies.

Spahn's immersive audio-visual performances merge the technically distinct production of images and sounds. In this respect the data stream of a digital projector becomes audible whereas the sound created by electromagnetic fields of coils and motors will be visualised.

Spahn is fascinated by patterns and structures, be it in graphics, photo, video or electronic technology. He seeks to carve out the beauty of disruption, thus subverting the perfect surface that contemporary new media industry is trying to achieve.

For his creations he explores the abilities of hardware, constantly pushing its limitations in order to make it serve his artistic concept. Recently he developed analogue synthesizers as well as analogue computers and analog neuron networks and uses them to create abstract light-and-sound-sculptures.

Spahn is faculty member of the Sound Studies and Sonic Arts, University of the Arts, Berlin, Germany.

Spahn presented his work in national and international exhibitions.And he was also exhibiting at international Festivals of Media Art.

- Solo Exhibitions

- Solo Exhibitions

2019 “Self-Similar and Strange” Art Claims Impulse, Berlin, Germany
2018 „Maailmankaikkeus“ (with Antti Pussinen and Dominik Eggerman) Diskurs Berlin, Germany
2018 “Symbolic Grounding” (with Christian Faubel) Glasmoog KHM, Köln, Germany
2018 “Symbolic Grounding” (with Christian Faubel) Gallery Diskurs, Berlin, Germany
2013 “Directions“ IWALEWAHAUS, Bayreuth, Germany
2011 “Analog_ien“ Galerie Durynek und Kammler, Eichstätt, Germany
2009 “Asymmetische Systeme II: Eis Sprung” Galerie Ardes, Berlin, Germany
2005 “Klima - Wandler …und wo sind die Myzelien” Galerie 35, Berlin, Germany
2003 “Himmel und Hölle“, Galerie 35, Berlin, Germany
2002 “Wir bau´n uns einen Führerbunker“, Galerie 35, Berlin, Germany
2001 “buy.onic“, Hot Pixel Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2000 “Kinetische Lichtobjekte“, Kunstverein ACUD, Berlin, Germany
1998 “Malanggan und was von SERO sonst noch übrig blieb“ Kunsthaus Tacheles, Berlin, Germany
1996 „Wechselstrombildung“, Orange Age, Berlin, Germany

- Group Exhibitions (Selection)

- Group Exhibitions (Selection)

2019 “KB19 - The Second Karachi Biennale” Karachi Pakistan
2019 “Open Labs” Science Gallery Dublin, Irland
2019 “Feedback #4: Marshall McLuhan and the Art” College for Creative Studies, Detroit, USA and University of Windsor, Canada
2018-19 Marler Medienkunst-Preis, Skulpturenmuseum Glaskasten Marl, Germany
2018 “More than Human” Museum Kesselhaus, Berlin, Germany
2017 Karachi Biennale 17, Pakistan
2017 Bienal de Artes Mediales, Santiago de Chile, Chile
2017 “Feedback #1: Marshall McLuhan and the Art” West Den Haag, Netherland
2017 “Bodenlos – Vilem Flusser und die Künste” Galerie AMU, Prague
2017 “Remix Wagner” Wagner Museum Bayreuth, Germany
2017 “Double Road” Maximilian Forum, München, Germany
2016 “T2F” Karachi, Pakistan
2016 “Venkatappa Gallery” Bangalore, India
2016 „Montag Modus“ Collegium Hungaricum, Berlin, Germany
2015-16 “Bodenlos – Vilem Flusser und die Künste” Akademie der Künste, Berlin, Germany
2015 “Musrara Mix” Jerusalem, Israel
2014 “Dangerous“ Spreeviera Galerie, Berlin, Germany
2013 “LAC“ ESC, Graz, Austria
2012 “Crash of Test“ Westwerk, Hamburg, Germany
2012 “B E A U T I F U L !“ Private View, Berlin, Germany
2010 “The Year We make Contakt - Media Scape Zagreb 2010“ Croatian Association of Artistsm, Zagreb, Republic of Croatia
2010 10th Biennial of Miniature Art, Gornji Milanovac, Republic of Serbia
2010 “Kunstraum Mausoleum” St. Matthäus Kirchhof, Berlin, Germany
2010 “ubiquitous oscillations” General Public, Berlin, Germany
2009 “Born Digital” Toonkammer, Utrecht, Netherland
2009 “Licht und Schatten” Schloss Rheinsberg, Rheinsberg, Germany
2009 “The Art of the Overhead” Malmö, Sweden
2008 “Between Fiction and Fact“ Galerie der Künste, Berlin, Germany
2007 “Am Rande“ Ausstellungszentrum Hellersdorf, Berlin, Germany
2007 “Strictly Berlin / Targets of Opportunity”, Galerie der Künste, Berlin, Germany
2006 “Figures of Motion”, Schloss Plüschow, Schwerin, Germany
2005 International Biennale of Contemporary Art, National Gallery Prague, Czech Republic
2004 “Politische Ästhetik” Takt Kunstraum, Berlin, Germany
2003 “Cmimi - Muslim Mulliqi Prize” The Kosovo Art Gallery in Pristina, Republic of Kosovo
2002 “Arte in Contemporanea” Modena, Italy
2002 “Reservois VI“, Wasserspeicher Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany
2002 “Hicetnunc” Villa Manin di Passariano, Italy
2001 “Junge Kunst 2”, Löwenpalais Stiftung Starke, Berlin, Germany
2000 “Arti Visive 3” Genua, Italy
1999 “Beyond Art“, Manes Gallery, Prague, Czech Republic
1999 “Expression of Youth“, Urbino, Italy
1999 “Imaginäres Gestern”, Kunsthaus Tacheles, Berlin, Germany
1998 “Licht, Ton und Grafik“ Städtische Galerie Riesa, Riesa, Germany

- Media Art Festivals (Selection):

- Media Art Festivals (Selection):

2018 PIKSEL18, Bergen, Norway
2018 “Monitoring” 35. Kasseler Dokfest, Kassel, Germany
2017 EMAF - European Media Art Festival, Osnabrück, Germany
2016 Shiny Toys, Mühlheim, Germany
2016 AMRO 16 Linz, Austria
2015 PIKSEL15, Bergen, Norway
2015 B-Seite, Mannheim, Germany
2014 Transmediale14, Berlin, Germany
2014 AMRO 14, Linz Austria
2012 Transmediale 2k+12, Berlin, Germany
2011 Pixxelpoint, Nova Gorica, Republic of Slovenia
2009 PIXEL09, Bergen, Norway
2009 “Tiefklang” Internationales Klangkunstfest, Berlin, Germany
2008 “farb_laut” Internationales Klangkunstfest, Berlin, Germany
2007 Directors Lounge, Berlin, Germany

- Commissioned work:

- Commissioned work:

2015 “Southern Cross, Remediation” IwalewaHaus Bayreuth, Germany

- Residencies & Grants:

- Residencies & Grants:

2020 NEUSTART KULTUR - Stiftung Kunstfonds
2018 Maggelan 2020, Punta Arenas, Chile
2017-18 Stiftung Künstlerdorf Schöppingen, Germany
2016 BangaloREsidency - Srishti Institute of Art, Bangalore, India

- Publications

- Publications

- Sound from Neural Networks Nicolas Collin, Handmade Electronic Music - The Art of Hardware Hacking, Routledge, 2020
- Marler Medienkunst-Preis, Wienand 2018
- Art of Wagnis Christoph Schlingensief's Crossing of Wagner and Africa, 2017
- Transmedial 2k+12, Transmedial, 2012
- 10. International Biennial of Miniature Art. The Cultural Centre of Gornji Milanovac, 2010
- Internationales Klangkunstfest farb_laut, Thomas Gerwin 2008
- International Biennale of Contemporary Art, National Gallery in Prague, 2005
- Cmimi - Muslim Mulliqi - Prize, The Kosovo Art Gallery, 2003
- Reservoir VI, Förderband Kulturinitiative Berlin, 2002
- HicetnuncEdizioni Biblioteca Dell'Immagine, 2002
- Arte in Contemporanea, Emilia Romagna 2002
- Arte Visive 3, Neos Edizioni 2000

- Teaching (Selection)

- Teaching (Selection)

2019 “Sound and Pattern in Analog Neural Networks”, Sound Studies and Sonic Art, University of the Art Berlin, Germany
2019 I, Machine, and Energy Harvesting (with Mindaugas Gapševičius), Shared Habitats, MO Museum, Vilnius, Lithuania
2019 “Zvuk i obrasci analognih neuronskih mreža – Neuro Pop”, Radiona, Zagreb, Republic of Croatia
2019 “Analog Neural Networks”, Alan Wildeman Centre for Creative Arts, Windsor, Canada
2019 “Hand-Crank Energy Harvester”, Orangi Pilot Project, Karachi, Pakistan
2018 “Sound Synthesis and MIDI with the Arduino” Sound Studies and Sonic Arts, University of the Art Berlin, Germany
2018 “Pop Neuron - An Analog Artificial Neuron Network”, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Germany
2018 “Weird Signal Processing”, PIKSEL18, Bergen, Norway
2018 “Paper Bits - An Analog Modular Synthesizer”, Knobs and Wires, München, Germany
2018 “Pop Neuron Workshop” (with Christian Faubel), Glasmoog KHM, Köln, Germany) 2018 “Unmapping VGA Signals” (with Antti Pussinen), Art Meets Radical Openness, Linz, Austria
2018 “Paper Bits – A Modular Analog Synthesizer”, Radiona, Zagreb, Republic of Croatia
2018 “Lichterscheinung - Neo Pixel in aktueller Bildkunst” Carl-von-Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany
2018 “Paper-Bits Workshop”, Goethe-Institutand, Vila Flores and Audiovisual Sem Destino, Porto Alegre, Brazil
2018 “VGA-Hacking”, West Den Haag, Netherland
2017 “NEO PIXEL - paint with light” Karachin Biennale, Pakistan
2017 “Analoge Synthesizer”, BBK-Berlin, Germany
2017 “Kunst-Kamera mit dem Raspberry Pi”, BBK-Berlin, Germany
2016 “Internet of Art: Raspberry-Web-Cam” Carl-von-Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany
2016 “Internet of Art - RasPi-Live-Cam”, University of Paderborn, Germany
2016 “Paper-Bits”, Ljudmila, Ljublijana, Republic of Slovenia
2016 “Embedded Platforms for Art - Raspberry Pi for Media Artists”, University of the Arts, Berlin, Germany
2016 “Interaktive und Generative Kunst mit dem Arduino”, University of the Arts, Berlin, Germany
2016 “The Sound of the Electro-Magnetic Smog”, Art Meets Radical Openness, Linz, Austria
2016 “Paper-Duino-Pictures”, Orangi Pilot Project, Karachi, Pakistan
2016 “Materialität im Digitalen mit dem Raspberry Pi”, University of Paderborn, Germany
2016 “Licht-Raum Modulator mit dem Arduino”, Carl-von-Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany
2015 “Embedded Art System” (with Malte Steiner) PIKSEL15, Bergen, Norway
2015 “Paper-Synthesizer 201 - MIDI to Control Voltage” (with Antti Pussinen), Werkstatt Berlin, Germany
2015 “Licht-Raum Modulator mit dem Arduino”, Carl-von-Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany
2015 “Materialität im Digitalen mit dem Raspberry Pi”, BBK-Berlin, Germany
2014 “Intermediale Ästhetik: Fusion von zeitgenössischen Praxen in Bildkunst und Medienkunst”, Carl-von-Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany
2014 “Paper-Synthesizer 100 - Hard-Sync-Oscillator” (with Antti Pussinen), Werkstatt Berlin, Germany
2014 “Paper-Duino-Pi and Urban Measurement”, Art Meets Radical Openness, Linz, Austria
2014 “Kunst-Computer-Interaction mit dem Arduino”, BBK-Berlin, Germany
2013 “Licht-Raum-Modulator”, University of Paderborn, Germany
2012 “Digitale Selbstvermessung” Hybrid Platform, University of the Arts and the Technische Universität Berlin, Germany
2012 “Kunst-Computer-Interaktion mit Processing”, BBK-Berlin, Germany
2011 “Licht, Raum und Bewegung - Kinetik und Interaktivität mit dem Arduino”, University of Paderborn, Germany
2010 “Mouse & Keyboard Hack - PIKSEL10, Bergen, Norway

- Presentations

- Presentations

2019 “open ARTware in Karachi” r0g Open Culture, Berlin, Germany
2019 “VGArt” Video Circuits Berlin, Germany
2018 “Self Similar Structures”, University of Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile
2018 “Symbolic Grounding” Stories For a More-Than-Human World, Museum Kesselhaus, Berlin, Germany
2017 “Experimental Signal Processing” Instituto de Informática, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
2016 “Uncovering The Invisible” Scope Session, Berlin, Germany
2016 “Ramdoness, Chaos and Order” Goethe-Institut Max Mueller Bhavan, Bangalore, India
2016 “Experimental Signal Processing” Iwalewahaus, University of Bayreuth, Germany
2014 “Art Beyond Proprietary Hardware” Schmiede Hallein, Austria
2015 “VGA-Hacking” ScopeSession, Berlin, Germany
2013 “Imersion & Raum” Quantifier Self, Berlin, Germany
2013 “Kunst-Computer-Interaktion” BBK-Berlin, Germany
2013 “Materialitaet im Digitalen” University of Paderborn, Germany


Press


Workshop: Synthesizer Bauen mit Wolfgang Spahn aus Berlin / Dock18, 2020
https://zackbuum.online/


Wolfgang Spahn stellt einen analogen Computer aus, Berliner Zeitung 26.-27. January 2019 by Jörg Niendorf (text) Benjamin Pitzkuleit (photos)


Art TV Pakistan Interviewed Wolfgang Spahn New Media Artist in Berlin, 2019


Jeder Pakistaner ist ein Künstler Jeder Pakistaner ist ein Künstler - Biennale in Karatschi by Ingo Arend, TAZ 2017

Painting with Lights Art TV Pakistan, 2017


Entropie, Nordbayerischer Kurier, 23. May 2017


West presents: Wofgang Spahn
Interview by West Den Haag, 2017


Kontrollierte Entropie by Ulf Schleth, 2016


Meet Wolfgang Spahn
Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan Bangalore, 2016


Under the Flyover - Final Presentation by Wolfgang Spahn bangaloREsident May 2016


Art TV Pakistan - Painting with Lights Wolfgang Spahn`s Workshop for KB17



Wolfgang Spahn is a visual & sound artist based in Berlin. His work includes installations, performances of light & sound and miniature-slide-paintings. His art explores the field of analogue and digital media and focuses on both their contradiction and their correlation.
He is faculty member of the Sound Studies and Sonic Arts, Berlin University of the Arts.

Katalog Kybersonor_2022_DE
Portfolio_Wolfgang Spahn DE
Portfolio_Wolfgang Spahn EN


OPEN HARD- & SOFT-WARE

Here is most of the hard- and software the artist developed for his artwork.
DER NULLEFFEKT
PAPER-PCB
- Analog Computer
- Pop Neuron
- Paper-Duino
- Paper Synthesizer
- Paper Bits
- Raspberry Pi Hats
- VGA Synthesizer
- Sound Boards
ART COOPERATION

TEACHING

Miscellaneous

Old Web-Side
In Progress


Credits
Contact

Except where otherwise noted.
© 2018-22 Wolfgang Spahn. All Rights Reserved.