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Timm Burkhardt is an artist, lecturer and PhD researcher at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar working at the nexus between art and technology. He builds installations on social topics that spark visitors' thoughts through voluntary or unconscious interaction.

Who plans the planning?

To mark the founding of the Faculty of Art and Design, a copper beech was planted on the campus of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar in 1993. Twenty-five years later, the tree was scheduled to be removed without replacement as part of the controversial redesign of the outdoor areas.

Although students pointed out its historical significance and protested against the felling, the tree was cut down. The responsible planners justified the felling with a planning status that was too advanced and could no longer be changed. The tree became a symbol of the planners' ignorance of the needs of students on their own campus.

If one now shakes one's head, the tree will be visible again for seconds. The trick: A band of 400 LEDs shows vertical sections of the tree picture in rapid succession. The image is created by the persistence of vision effect when viewed with lateral head movement due to the inertia of the human eye.

Privacy Machine

A digital proclamation: I want to be private today and not appear in your social media photos.

The concept: stand in front of the screen and take a badge or a scarf to wear. Both these items have a special pattern on them. As long as this pattern is recognized by the camera, the software will automatically pixelate your face.

It is however an unrealistic wish, as ultimately manufacturers would have to integrate this into their smartphones as a small default software.

Machine to support the starving artist

Made from stainless steel, this inconspicuous machine is suited to the harsh environment of the streets. It generates receipts for random art supplies, printed on thermal paper like real shop receipts.

This work addresses Bürgergeld, a vital social security programme provided by the German government to ensure a minimum standard of living for individuals with insufficient income.

According to the regulations, income from self-employment is offset against state support. As a result, only a portion of the occasional income typical for artists can be retained—unless related expenses can be documented and offset against that income.

Accountability Machine

A Compass built in reaction to the current political climate, this machine delegates narrative responsibility to each person it encounters, to both oppose the feeling of being unheard, and to remind the viewer of, their critical part in a more complete whole.

The work is completed and operating only when a human approaches it. The presence of the viewer causes the compass needle to pull toward them, with each person then becoming „true north“.

A collaborative work with artist Kathryn Gohmert.

Surveillance Printer

This work addresses the invisible yet ubiquitous gaze of video surveillance. As soon as a visitor is within the detection range of the camera, the printer begins working, rapidly printing the current camera image at a high rate. The surprised visitor finds themselves immediately reproduced on a multitude of printouts. Allowed to take their picture with them, this action is also captured and printed, demonstrating that one can never cover all of their tracks.

I can't help it

Yes, it's beautiful, but I have to drive my car over it now.

An underground car park exit
vs.
40 square meters of freshly laid turf.

The preENTER Sessions

An ongoing installation and performance project in which visitors generate the content. The works central point is an installation composed of six flatbed scanners. Visitors are invited to creatively interact with the scanners, by scanning themselves or the objects they carry. These images appear immediately on a large projection or in a live video performance, becoming part of a constantly growing world of faces, body parts, objects, messages and abstract forms, which can be best described as an uncensored visual snapshot of a time and place.

preENTER.de

A collaboration between YouAreWatchingUs and Pentatones, shown at Ars Electronica Festival, European Media Art Festival, Fusion Festival and Chaos Communication Congress.