Urs Schönebaum (spatial installation) + Robi Voigt (video), Inside Light, 2024, © Courtesy of the artist.

YOU DESCRIBE YOUR FIELD AS MEDIA SCENOGRAPHY, WHICH GOES BEYOND THE CLASSICAL UNDERSTANDING OF STAGE DESIGN THAT YOU STUDIED. WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS DO YOU DO?
I work in different areas of media scenography, from traditional theatre and opera productions, live concert and show design to contemporary art installations and interactive exhibitions. For example, for my Master’s project at ZhdK I collaborated with a dancer to create a multimedia installation using motion tracking and video projection. The installation itself was conceived as a permanent presence, designed with sound, light, video and a physical stage structure. A central aspect was the part in which the dancer performed. We used tracking technology to capture her movements and control the lighting, video and other elements.

Or a more recent one, I just worked with Urs Schönebaum on a large art installation at the Park Avenue Armory in New York that combined Stockhausen’s electronic music with video and light. The musical pieces themselves were taken from his opera cycle “Licht”, which normally lasts seven days. The selected electronic compositions were an abstracted representation of this epic work, presented to an audience of both opera lovers and electronic music enthusiasts. The pieces were played from tape, accompanied by video and light, in a gallery that enveloped visitors in that atmosphere for four and a half hours.

WHAT DO YOU FIND FASCINATING ABOUT PROJECT LIKE THESE?
Such projects show how theatre and installations can merge, moving away from traditional stage formats towards immersive experiences that actively involve the audience. Personally, I find it particularly exciting when these boundaries become blurred and new forms emerge that combine technology and art in new ways.

WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO THE PROJECTS YOU DO?
My approach varies greatly depending on the type of project. For traditional productions such as a Wagner opera, I work closely with the existing material and the artistic team. I am always amazed at how enriching this experience is. There’s so much to learn in such an enjoyable way, by discussing things together with people from different backgrounds. When I work with artists, as I did recently with the German singer Herbert Grönemeyer, the artist himself, the music and the individual song are just as important as the overall dramaturgy of the show. For independent installations, I often take inspiration from my surroundings and current themes. For Quantum Dreams, for example, I worked intensively with artificial intelligence to create an artistic interpretation that addresses social and technological issues.

Robi Voigt, Quantum Dreams 2023, © Courtesy of the artist.

COULD YOU BRIEFLY EXPLAIN WHAT QUANTUM DREAMS IS?
Quantum Dreams was my last installation at the Zentralwäscherei, Zurich, centred on the use of artificial intelligence. An AI analysed and deconstructed the works of an artist, which in turn served as the basis for my video and spatial animations. A second AI interpreted my artistic work itself and offered new insights, which was both fascinating and somewhat unsettling as it raised profound questions. A discussion came up as to whether the result was simply a collection of the best of the internet or whether it revealed deeper meanings and hidden layers in the images that had previously remained hidden from me.

WHAT ROLE DOES TECHNOLOGY PLAY IN YOUR WORK?
I’m very interested in technological innovation, but in my own work I try to use it subtly, without it dominating, while at the same time utilising the possibilities that modern technology offers. The tracking of the dancer I mentioned was an example of how technology can support the artistic vision.

DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE THE IMPACT OF YOUR WORK?
My approach is that each project should not only be aesthetically pleasing, but also stimulate social discussion and provoke thought. With Quantum Dreams, I find it particularly interesting how public opinion on artificial intelligence has changed over time. When we did this project, the debate was very polarised: AI was either hailed as the ultimate cure or seen as a threat that could take over our world. However, our approach was different – we saw AI as a tool that we could use creatively. Although it wasn’t the main theme, we poetically integrated AI into our work. We were not interested in fighting AI or embracing it unconditionally, but in using it as a tool. Visitors experienced how AI can be used in art to create works that radiate warmth and empathy – something human despite the technological basis.

AI IS STILL A BIG TOPIC. DO YOU INTEND TO WORK FURTHER WITH IT?
There will even be a further development of this specific project. Next summer at the Natural History Museum in Fribourg, we are not using an art collection as a basis, but will be working with a herbarium collection. This collection is one of the largest I know of – I’m not sure if it’s the largest in the world, but it’s definitely impressive. It comprises around 100,000 herbaria from all over the world, some of which are up to 200 years old. Working with scientists to gain insights into nature and climate change from these herbaria and translating them into art is extremely fascinating. It’s incredibly exciting how different disciplines and topics come together. Projects like this are not only intended to entertain, but also to provoke thought and open up new perspectives.

LATEST NEWS

– Review: ‘Inside Light’ Gives a Taste of Stockhausen’s Opera Epic, The New York Times, June 9, 2024