ECOLOGY OF ENCOUNTERS - Meeting spaces for humans and non-humans in media art

Masterarbeit, 2023, keine Creative Commons-Lizenzierung Supervised by: Manuela Naveau, Johannes Braumann, Christa Sommerer Abstract The rapid intensification and development of both scientific and technological progress are shaping our world at an unprecedented speed. Our time asks us to re-relate to each other and the others we share our space with. “The human” can no longer be seen as the centre but as part of a comprehensive and complex system. This system consists of humans, animals, plants, fungi, and micro-organisms but also matter and data. This thesis is a practice-based exploration of the encounters between human and nonhuman via sensing technologies in my art practice. Through the lens of agential realism and the methodology of diffraction, I look back on four of my works 1. RHIZA, an interspecies connector between fungi and humans. 2. ZIEN, a collaborative public art project between ministry officials, citizens, and a robot arm. 3. FadingColours, real-time data sculptures that connect ocean data on coral bleaching and the living conditions of the algae. 4. ZOE, a temporary coexistence between reishi mushrooms and a custom-made robotic system. I am questioning whether the philosophy of critical posthumanism and new materialism come to practice in my process of creating media art installations.