MEHR MENSCH ALS MENSCH: Gonzomechanics | Kunstfest Weimar

MEHR MENSCH ALS MENSCH (MORE HUMAN THAN HUMAN)
GONZOMECHANICS
VERNISSAGE: 24. August, 2024, 6 pm / 18 Uhr
Stockwerk e.V.
24 August -  6 September, 2024
(Wed. - Sat. Sa, 4 - 7 pm)

The project MEHR MENSCH ALS MENSCH (More Human Than Human) by Gonzomechanics aims to promote cultural exchange and diversity using the experiences of local communities and their stories to alter artificial intelligence (and therefore humanity). In short, using technology to become better humans.

Gonzomechanics is an international artist collective consisting of Caitlin Pickall, Chen Hangfeng, Kathryn Gohmert, Gökçen Dilek Acay and Laurent Lettrée, founded by artist Kathryn Gohmert. With a focus on interactive machines and installations, Gonzomechanics develops new forms of behavior and thought that result from viewer participation with its inventions. 

During Kunstfest Weimar 2024, Gonzomechanics presents its first public project at Stockwerk Weimar and holds a series of events involving the local community. Through workshops and interactive performances, Gonzomechanics collects stories and experiences, using them as a starting point to subsequently diversify AI. In MEHR MENSCH ALS MENSCH, Gonzomechanics seeks to improve the world by using technology to enhance more empathy for other people and more visibility for the stories of the marginalized. 

Gonzomechanics wants to destabilize the current trend of war by finding a way to create more understanding and connection between people using their art as a catalyst.

This project was generously funded by Kulturdirektion Weimar with cooperation from Lebenshilfe Weimar.

(DE)

Das Projekt MEHR MENSCH ALS MENSCH (MORE HUMAN THAN HUMAN) des Kollektiv Gonzomechanics soll kulturellen Austausch und Vielfalt fördern, in dem es die Erfahrungen lokaler Gemeinschaften und ihrer Geschichten nutzt, um künstliche Intelligenz (und damit die Menschheit) zu verändern.

In MEHR MENSCH ALS MENSCH versucht Gonzomechanics die Welt zu verbessern, indem es Technologie einsetzt, um bestimmte menschliche Qualitäten des Kollektivs zu verbessern: mehr Empathie für andere Menschen und mehr Sichtbarkeit für die Geschichten der Ausgegrenzten. Gonzomechanics will den aktuellen Trend zum Krieg destabilisieren, indem wir einen Weg finden, durch unsere Kunst mehr Verständnis und Verbindung zwischen den Menschen zu schaffen.

Gonzomechanics ist ein internationales Künstler*innenkollektiv bestehend aus Caitlin Pickall, Kathryn Gohmert, Chen Hangfeng, Gökçen Dilek Acay und Laurent Lettrée, gegründet von der Künstlerin Kathryn Gohmert. Mit dem Schwerpunkt auf interaktiven Maschinen und Installationen entwickelt Gonzomechanics neue Formen des Verhaltens und Denkens, die sich aus der Beteiligung des Betrachters an seinen Erfindungen ergeben.

Dieses Projekt wird dankenswerterweise von der Kulturdirektion Weimar gefördert.

"Rising stars" | Voyage Dallas

I’m so excited Voyage Dallas featured my story and work in their latest string of interviews with creative entrepreneurs.

Grateful I even got to touch on my artist collective Gonzomechanics, and our mission as well as my own personal focus on connection and the brain in this article.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Mid-Autumn Festival.

New Gonzomechanics Artists | *LLND

Gonzomechanics is thrilled to add French artist team *LLND to our collective. We are looking forward to collaborating together and showing more of their interactive work in our upcoming projects. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

*LLND is an international media artist team merging sound, image and matter in an approach that combines physical reality, science, myth, technology, and real time. *LLND stands for the initials of Laurent Lettrée and Nathalie Delpech, who have been based in Shanghai, China since 2009.⁣⁣

Nathalie’s video and graphic art are a poetic meeting of the psychedelic and surrealism. With strong colours and forms borrowed from a revisited reality, she gives life to inanimate objects.⁣⁣ Laurent is composer and self-taught electronic machinery builder. He explores sound and its multiple frequencies and rhythmic variations.⁣⁣

Image of ‘Music Garden’ installation, Shanghai, 2019.⁣⁣⁣⁣

new gonzomechanics artist | Caitlin Pickall

Gonzomechanics is pleased to add multimedia artist, Caitlin Pickall, to our collective!
⁣⁣⁣⁣
Image from installation, ‘Lighstream 108’, 2018.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣Caitlin Pickall is a multimedia installation artist. She combines audiovisual and constructed elements with sensors and custom software to create reactive objects and environments that address material culture, social rituals and processes of meaning-creation.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
Her work explores the mental concepts used to define self and experience and the relationships between these constructs and physical space with an emphasis on fracturing and restructuring of space and time, networks and systems, and hybrid and liminal spaces.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Born in the United States, she has lived and worked in New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Berlin and is currently based in New York City.⁣⁣⁣

Look forward to seeing more of Caitlin's interactive work in our upcoming projects. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

Antonyms | WhywhyArt

The ANTONYMS exhibition opens this Friday 11 June with WhywhyArt and the Department of Culture and Education of the German Consulate General Shanghai.

Included is a recent work from my Light the Gas series focusing on gaslighting as a form of abuse.

ANTONYMS, in the form of ActOnitions, emphasizes the need to continue raising awareness for different “s(he) gender” social groups and aims to initiate conversation — and in the age of social media, there are channels for artists and activists to transmit a powerful message on a scale formerly unimaginable.

WhyWhyArt’s intention is to use ANTONYMS as an opportunity to give voice to the daily forms of violence experienced by those voiceless of the “s(he) gender”. ANTONYMS is a call, therefore, to push back against physical/economical; sexual/human rights and mental/political abuse.

ANTONYMS is organized by WhyWhyArt and the Department of Culture and Education of the German Consulate General Shanghai and is supported by ifa gallery (Brussels) and EASA.

Dates: 11th June – 30th September

Mon-Fri: 10:00-18:30

Venue:  Department of Culture and Education of the German Consulate General Shanghai
Cross Tower 101, Fuzhou Road 318, Shanghai

Vernissage: 11th June 18.00 – 21.00

Gökçen Dilek Acay | DIE KONFERENZ DER TIERE

Special congratulations to Gonzomechanic Gökçen Dilek Acay for winning the 2021 thüringen Landesstipendium für Bildende Kunst!

Her solo show DIE KONFERENZ DER TIERE opens next week, 30.4 , at Galerie Eigenheim Berlin with an online vernissage at 19 Uhr. DIE KONFERENZ DER TIERE runs until 29.05.2021.

see more of Dilek’s work on the gonzomechanics website.

New Gonzomechanics Artist | Chen Hangfeng

Gonzomechanics is pleased to add artist, Chen Hangfeng, to our artist collective. Look for more of Hangfeng's interactive work in our upcoming projects this year.

Image from installation, 'Where the Wind Comes From', 2010.⁣

Image from installation, 'Where the Wind Comes From', 2010.⁣

“‘Where the Wind Comes From’ explores the museumification of traditional culture – which has become more of a specimen of observation rather than a living, breathing part of contemporary Chinese culture. In this way, it seems the Chinese traditional culture can only come alive when we engage with it – read the classics, study poems or practice calligraphy. Without the presence of our gaze it becomes lifeless and still.

When the viewer comes close to this work, a motion sensor sets a number of fans into action, causing the plastic bamboo leaves to rustle in the wind. A “fake” traditional Chinese painting in fact revives the spirit of traditional gardens in the middle of a bustling street, which reflects on our own temporary presence as a “wind” stirring this changing society.”

Chen Hangfeng (1974) works in graphic, paper-cut, drawing, painting, installation, performance, photography and video. His practice has been focusing on film and moving images since 2010. His work deals with the issues of identity, contradictions brought by globalization, environmental changes and cultural transmutation; often realized through playful metaphor, and he merge concepts and mediums like an alchemist. He sees artist as a present-day incarnation of ancient philosopher, artisan and literati.

Chen currently works and lives between Shanghai and Amsterdam. He will become a researcher at the Master Program of Netherlands Film Academy from September 2021. 

more about hangfeng’s work.

GÖKÇEN DILEK ACAY | Böse in Mir/Dir

Congratulations to fellow-Gonzomechanic, Gökçen Dilek Acay. Her show ‘BÖSE IN MIR/DIR’ runs until 21.11.20 at Galerie Eigenheim, weimar.

details below:


GÖKÇEN DILEK ACAY - Böse in Mir/Dir

Vernissage 23.10.2020 um 19 Uhr

Dauer 24.10. – 21.11.2020 / Ort EIGENHEIM Weimar, Asbachstraße 1 (Gärtnerhaus im Weimarhallenpark), 99423 Weimar / Rahmenprogramm23.10. um 19:30h – Konzert mit Ayşe Kurultay (Gitarre), Josephine Prkno (Trompete), Stephen Nolan (Gitarre) und Gökçen Dilek Acay (Violine) / 30.10. ab 19:30h – Stickabend / 06.11. ab 14h bis 22h – Fotogram Workshop / 19.11. um 20.00h – Jam Session Music Abend

“Gökçen Dilek Acay diskutiert in ihrer Arbeit Konzepte der Unterdrückung, Macht und den zerstörerischen Aspekten des Menschen. Acay verwendet verschiedene Symbole um den Kontrast und den gegenseitigen Einfluss zwischen dem tierischen im Menschen und dem menschlichen im Tier zu zeigen. Macht ist ein Spiegelbild der modernen Gesellschaft und der politischen Struktur des Rohen und Instinktiven. Der moderne Mensch besteht nach Acay aus Widersprüchen. In ihrer Arbeit versuche sie, diese Wildheit und die Gewalt gegen weniger begünstigte Wesen sowie gegen den objektivierten und missbrauchten Körper herauszuarbeiten und darzustellen. ”

More about artist collective Gonzomechanics.

KULTURSYMPOSIUM WEIMAR 2019 video

very grateful to goethe-institut and kultursymposium weimar for the video inclusion of accountability machine in action during “die route wird neu berechnet” video released online this week.

(accountability machine caught pointing north at :59)

more about my work here and more about gonzomechanics and its machines here.

KULTURSYMPOSIUM WEIMAR | images

Images from Kultursymposium Weimar’s opening and (and after party) this past weekend, with Accountability Machine interacting on-site. This was a blast.

Read more about how Accountability Machine is trying to save the world.

more about goethe institut’s “DIE ROUTE WIRD NEUE BERECHNET” here.

more about the sculpture Accountability Machine here.

KULTURSYMPOSIUM WEIMAR 2019

KULTURSYMPOSIUM WEIMAR 2019 takes place next week, 19 – 21 June at various locations in Weimar.

The theme “die Route wird neu berechnet” (recalculating the route) will be explored in the various lectures, performances, exhibitions and discussions going on during that time, and Compass: Accountability Machine will one of the interactive works featured on-site. Gozomechanics is very pleased to participate as an artist collective.

Visit the KSWE19 website for the lineup of speakers/artists/discussions/performances or find more details about the event on their facebook page.

IMAGINARY BAUHAUS MUSEUM | images

IMAGINARY BAUHAUS MUSEUM is in its last week and on view until June 2 at Schiller-Museum Weimar.

The finissage is on Sunday, June 2, 14 - 18 Uhr.

Accountability Machine (2017) with work by Minhee Ahn in background.

Life is Short, Buy the Shoes (2019) by Moawya Al Kadra

The Midas Touch - Money Talks (2019) by Edoardo Teddes.

Read the Washington Post article talking about the show here.

More about the Imaginary Bauhaus Exhibition here.

WOCHE DER DEMOKRATIE, Angela Merkel | images

some images from the Woche der Demokratie opening at the deutsches nationaltheater, weimar last weekend.

it’s also an honor to have work exhibited in the same building Angela Merkel visited to honor the 100 year anniversary of the Weimar Republic this week (image below courtesy of @stadtweimar).

(image @stadtweimar)

more here about the Woche der Demokratie exhibition at the deutsches nationaltheater, weimar and why this year is such an important year for german history.

WOCHE DER DEMOKRATIE | deutsches nationaltheater, weimar

very pleased to have recent work included in the WOCHE DER DEMOKRATIE opening this friday, 1 february, at the deutsches nationaltheater in weimar.

this will also be the public debut of the gonzomechanics artist collective, as we show the interactive sculpture, compass: accountability machine together. 
the exhibition celebrates the 100 year anniversary of the meeting of the national assembly in weimar in 1919 which began the famous weimar republic.

the full line-up of lectures, performances and concerts can be found on the WOCHE DER DEMOKRATIE website, and image updates can followed on instagram.

MANIFEST OF PRACTICE | images

Thank you to everyone that joined the Manifest of Practice exhibition vernissage at the Thüringer Staatskanzlei in Berlin and made the opening so memorable.

It’s a pleasure to be part of the 100 Years of Bauhaus anniversary with the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, its team and its alumni.

See more images and videos from the night on @gonzomechanicstudio’s instagram and how gonzomechanics is trying to save the world with more about our artists here.

The exhibition runs until 1 Feb.

MANIFEST OF PRACTICE | thüringer staatskanzlei, berlin

incredibly honored to have work featured in the manifest of practice exhibition opening this week with great minds from bauhaus-universität weimar as part of bauhaus 100.

the show runs 17 jan – 1 feb at the thüringer staatskanzlei in berlin

opening hours are monday – friday, 9 – 18 uhr.

more information on the manifest of practice exhibition website and more about gonzomechanics on our website and @gonzomechanicsstudio on instagram.

3. berliner herbstsalon | maxim gorki theater | berlin

from maxim gorki theater website:

“seit mittlerweile vier spielzeiten arbeiten wir am maxim gorki theater daran, uns aus vereinfachungen, zuschreibungen und kategorisierungen herauszuspielen und neue narrative aufzubauen.

im november laden wir zur dritten ausgabe des berliner herbstsalons mit kunst, theater, performance und diskurs in die mitte der stadt: vom brandenburger tor über das kronzprinzenpalais bis zum palais am festungsgraben und in das GORKI. unter der überschrift desintegriert euch! versammelt der 3. berliner herbstsalon arbeiten von rund 100 bildenden und darstellenden künstlerinnen, die sich kritisch mit konstruktionen von identität und einheit auseinandersetzen.

3. berliner herbstsalon | 11. – 26. november
organisiert von shermin langhoff mit aljoscha begrich, cagla Ilk, erden kosova, tunçay kulaoğlu, elena sinanina.

die uraufführung beginnt um 16:30, 11. november.

die ausstellung beginnt um 19:00 uhr, 11 november.”

[kronprinzenpalais]
[palais am festungsgraben]
[maxim gorki theater]

[mehr infos über 3.berliner herbstsalon]

3. berliner herbstsalon | maxim gorki theater, berlin

you are  warmly  invited to the  3. berliner herbstsalon exhibition opening next saturday, 11 nov, hosted by  maxim gorki theater, berlin.

some of my  newest interactive work will be featured along with other participating artists’ + fellow mfa students from bauhaus-universität weimar.

please find information about the opening and other details below for your reference.

3. berliner herbstsalon
maxim gorki theater
11 – 26 november, 2017

opening : sat, 11 nov, 7 – 11 pm

normal hours : mon – fri, 4 – 11 pm
sat + sun, 1 – 11 pm

location :
kronprinzenpalais
palais am festungsgraben
maxim gorki theater

more about included artists, their work and an itinerary of scheduled events can be found on the websites below.

it would be lovely to see you at the exhibition if you are in the berlin area.

take care + see you soon.

maxim gorki theater 
3. berliner herbstsalon