Holger Förterer, born 1972, has been creating interactive audiovisual artworks, architectural and stage projections as well as art installations since 1999. His main means of expression are digital algorithms and simulations. He embraces and often reflects on the possibilities of new technologies, manufacturing almost all parts of the interactive software behind the artworks himself.
Förterer studied both computer science and media art in Karlsruhe, Germany. Apart from his numerous installations and environments that were exhibited worldwide, he developed interactive augmented reality projections for the Cirque du Soleil show “KÀ” in 2004 and worked on interactive projections for the Metropolitan opera in New York until 2010.
The programming of his artworks is a process in which he writes images and sounds in a language that the computer can interpret for the audience to see, hear and explore live. Within the body of his work, he often tries to capture a certain thought or reality at the center of these algorithms. The observers' personal, first-hand experience of such a central situation or idea is his most important point of reference.
Holger Förterer, June 2020
vita
| 1972 | Born in Bochum, Germany |
| 1980 | started graphics programming at the age of eight |
| 1993 - 2002 | Studies of computer science at the University Karlsruhe (now KIT Karlsruhe) |
| 2001 - 2002 | Teaching interactive graphics and programming at Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design (Staatliche Hochschule für Gestaltung Karlsruhe) |
| 2006, 2007 | Teaching interactive and generative graphics at Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design (Staatliche Hochschule für Gestaltung Karlsruhe) |
| 2013 | Media art diploma with honors from Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design (Staatliche Hochschule für Gestaltung Karlsruhe) |
| 2020 - 2021 | Visiting professor for media arts at Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design |
| Lives and works in Karlsruhe, Germany |
interactive installations (selection)
| 1999 | fluidum 1 Interactive particle installation |
| 2002 | sub_trakt Interactive installation with Anne Niemetz digital massacre III networked installation |
| 2003 | zentralin 03 networked installation dropped Interactive floor |
| 2006 | inflammable Interactive fire projection |
| 2011 | sea of tranquility 3D audiovisual panoramic projection haemoglobin Interactive architectural projection |
| 2013 | the sound of things Interactive spatial sound installation sculpture 1 – sediment Interactive panoramic projection |
| 2015 | epilog Interactive architectural projection feuerwall Interactive networked installation |
| 2017 | fluidum 2 Interactive fractal projection |
| 2021 | the silent chaos of colors Interactive particle projection with Electric Eel |
stage projections
| 2001 | helikopter interactive scenery for Ballet Preljocaj |
| 2002 | testflug interactive projections for Art Zoyd |
| 2004 | kà interactive projections for Cirque du Soleil |
| 2005 | frischzelle tap dance performance with Sebastian Weber |
| 2008 | la damnation de faust interactive projections for The Metropolitan Opera, NY |
| 2010 | der ring des nibelungen initial projections and system design for the MET |
| 2021 | bats interactive projections with Sebastian Weber Dance Company |
group exhibitions (selection)
| 1999 | step1 ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany |
| 2000 | EXIT 2000 Maison des Arts, Paris Créteil, France VIA 2000 Le Manege, Maubeuge, France Zeitreise Akademie der Künste, Berlin, Germany Zeitreise ZOOM Kindermuseum, Vienna, Austria Art in/output Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Netherlands |
| 2002 | 22/2/2 IT-Portal, Karlsruhe, Germany Art Rock La Passerelle, St-Brieuc, France |
| 2003 | Lange Kunstnacht Moritzsaal, Augsburg, Germany transmediale_extended vol.1 Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Santiago, Chile |
| 2003 / 2004 | Cinémas du futur Euralille, Lille 2004, France |
| 2004 | Borderline Espace Sculfort, Maubeuge, France EXIT 2004 Maison des Arts, Paris Créteil, France Lumière! Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Berlin, Germany |
| 2006 | Kunst Computer Werke ZKM/HfG, Karlsruhe, Germany From Flash to Pixel Zendai Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China Happy Newears Budascoop, Kortrijk, Belgium Sensi Sotto Sopra Teatro Palladium, Roma, Italy |
| 2011 | Beyond Festival ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany Meet the Maker Fleischmarkthalle, Schlachthof Karlsruhe, Germany |
| 2013 | Beyond Festival ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany |
| 2015 | VIA 2015 Espace Sculfort, Maubeuge, France EXIT 2015 Maison des Arts, Créteil, France Schlosslichtspiele / Globale Castle, Karlsruhe, Germany |
| 2015 / 2016 | Lichtsicht-Biennale 5 Old Graduation Works, Bad Rothenfelde, Germany |
| 2017 | Digital Graffiti Alys Beach, Florida, USA klingt gut! symposium on sound University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg, Germany |
| 2017 / 2018 | Lichtsicht-Biennale 6 Old Graduation Works, Bad Rothenfelde, Germany |
awards and scholarships
| 2002 | zentralin Group sipendium of Heinrich-Hertz Gesellschaft |
| 2003 | helikopter New York Dance and Performance Award bessies |
| 2005 | kà Architecture, engineering and design award aed |
| 2006 | fluidum 1 Gunther Schroff stipendium |
| 2017 | fluidum 2 Digital Graffiti Special Recognition |
| 2017 | the weight of light* Interdisciplinary Project Fund, City of Karlsruhe |
| 2020 | phonolux machine* Karlsruhe UNESCO City of Media Arts project funding (with Kinemathek Karlsruhe) the silent chaos of colors Karlsruhe UNESCO City of Media Arts project funding (with Electric Eel Karlsruhe) |
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