about

copper5

life in the intersection of technology, art & science

Autarkic subjects, fed by solar energy

electronic-life-forms inhabit the intersection of technology, art & science to explore the shifting transition from smart objects to autonomous subjects through digital and electronic craft. The media art and research project was founded by Pascal Glissmann and Martina Höfflin at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne in 2004. It investigates the fascination for artificial life and its principles through a series of (site-specific) installations: colmena, electronic pattern parasite, nest and elf

Pascal Glissmann

Pascal Glissmann is a media designer, artist, scholar and founder of the studio subcologne. He is currently Assistant Professor of Art, Media and Technology at Parsons The New School for Design. Pascal holds an MFA in Media Arts/Media Design from the Academy of Media Arts Cologne and a BFA in Communication Design from the University of Applied Sciences Duesseldorf. He joined the Academy of Media Arts Cologne as a full-time faculty in 2001 and focused on creative approaches to new media and technology within applied design projects and emerging installations. He became Assistant Professor at the Hong Kong Baptist University, Academy of Visual Arts, in 2007 where he set up the curriculum and infrastructure for the areas of media design and media arts. In 2010 and 2011 he was Visiting Assistant Professor at the Lebanese-American University, School of Architecture and Design, in Beirut.

Martina Hoefflin

Martina Hoefflin is a programmer, designer and media artist. She studied Computer Science at the Academy of Applied Sciences in Furtwangen and the San Francisco State University focussing on interaction design, usability and internet applications.
From 2002-2008 she was teaching and researching at the design department of the Academy of Media Arts in Cologne. She also started the Büro für Brauchbarkeit, a studio for web applications and media art in Cologne in 2002 and is still working there as a independent designer, programmer and artist.

Projects & Exhibitions

electronic pattern parasite | The electronic parasite pattern is an intrusive organism that covers an interior wall of the new computer science building of the University of Oslo. Installed 2010
colmena | A swarm of one hundred creatures settles in the trees of the Mediterranean park upon the hills of Palma where Joan Miró used to live and find his inspiration
Pilar Juncosa i Sotheby’s 2009 award, Miro Foundation, Palma de Mallorca
parasite sculptures | Nine handcrafted sculptures of knitted wire occupy the entrance hall of the computing center HLRS of the university in Stuttgart. Installed 2006
elf | Installation with analog electronics, photographs and preserving glasses.

International exhibitions and festivals from 2004-2011:
Here comes the sun, Biosphäre Potsdam 11. Jun – 18. Sep 2011 | Potsdam, Germany
Here comes the sun, Uferhallen Berlin | 06. Sep – 31. Okt 2010 | Berlin, Germany
Here comes the sun, mondo mio! | 15. Jul – 29. Aug 2010 | Dortmund, Germany
Darwin Festival | 03. Jul – 05. Jul 2009 | Shrewsbury, Great Britain
Bouillants#1 | 09. Mar – 26. Jun 2009 | Rennes, Vern/Seiche, France
Wood Street Galleries | 25.Jan – 05. Apr. 2008 | Pittsburgh, USA
Palazzo delle Arti Napoli | 08.Nov – 03. Dec. 2007 | Napels, Italy
Digital Playground 07 | 16.Oct. – 06. Nov. 2007 | Seoul, South-Korea
Matchmaking | 13.Oct – 12. Nov, 2006 | Trondheim, Norway
STRP | 23. – 26. Mar. 2006 | Eindhoven, Netherlands
Skuc Gallery | Dec. 2005 | Ljubljana, Slovenia
Digital Playground 05 | 21.Okt. – 07.Nov. 2005 | Uijeongbu, Korea
Ars Electronica | 01. – 06. Sep. 2005 | Linz, Austria
Siggraph05 | 31.Jul. – 04.Aug. 2005 | Los Angeles, USA
Pixelache Festival | 14. – 17. Apr. 2005 | Helsinki, Finland
Japan Media Art Festival | Feb. 2005 | Tokyo, Japan
18. Stuttgarter Filmwinter | 13. – 16. Jan. 2005 | Stuttgart, Germany
Museum’s night | 6. Nov. 2004 | Cologne, Germany
New Forms Festival | 14. – 18. Nov. 2004 | Vancouver, Canada
Artbots | 17. – 19. Sept. 2004 | New York City, USA

Lectures

“The fascination of artificial/electronic life”, Sketch/Poster Siggraph, Los Angeles 2005
Artist talk Siggraph, Los Angeles 2005
Artist talk / lectures NIFCA, Helsinki 2005
Art and Technology, Gastvortrag | Simon Frasor University, Vancouver 2004
Artists and Technology, Panel | NFF Conference, Vancouver 2004
“The fascination of artificial/electronic life”, Pratt Manhattan, NYC 2004
“The fascination of artificial/electronic life”, Pratt Brooklyn, NYC 2004