Stefan Hurtig’s videos and installations revolve around identity in the age of digitality, neoliberal logics of the self and posthuman futures. He takes a skeptical look at how economic concepts shape our self-image and body image. He examines casting shows, self-management books, Instagram psychology and AI algorithms. Hurtig’s lastest video and performance projects are about post-anthropocentric perspectives, fluid identities and coexistence of humans and non-human beings. He combines video and spatial design creating video sculptures with a strong focus on narrative in space. Methods of remixing and re-performing images, language and text characterize his research-based, critical approach. Pop and internet culture serve as a frame of reference and object of research, as do the utopias of the historical avant-gardes in art and architecture.
Stefan Hurtig graduated from the Academy of Visual Arts (HGB) Leipzig and was a master-class student of Alba D’Urbano. He is the recipient of the 2018 LIA Art Prize (Preis der Leipziger Jahresausstellung). In 2019 the Museum of Fine Arts (MdbK) Leipzig presented his first museum solo show Note to Self. In 2022 the HALLE 14 – Centre for Contemporary Art Leipzig presented an extensive retrospective with his work. 2017–22 he was teaching at BURG Giebichenstein, University of Art and Design in Halle (Saale).
Grants, Residencies, Awards
2024 Artist-in-Residence, Kunsthof NIA, Niederarnsdorf
2023 NEUSTARTplus Working Grant, Stiftung Kunstfonds / NEUSTART KULTUR of BKM
2023 Project grant, Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony (KdFS)
2022 Working Grant, Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony (KdFS)
2020 Denkzeit Working Grant, Cultural Foundation of Saxony (KdFS)
2018 LIA Art Prize / Preis der Leipziger Jahresausstellung
2015 Artist-in-Residence, GCAC, Columbus, Ohio
2015 Project Grant, City of Leipzig / Cultural Foundation of Saxony (KdFS)
2013 Working Grant, Cultural Foundation of Saxony (KdFS)
Collections
2011 Dresden State Art Collections (SKD) / Art Fund (Kunstfonds)
Solo Shows
2023 CBRG.SPACE, soft power, Berlin
2022 Human in the Loop, HALLE 14 – Centre for Contemporary Art, Leipzig
2021 It Will Have Been, LURU Kino, Spinnerei Leipzig
2020 FLUID, KV Freunde aktueller Kunst Zwickau
2019 Note to Self, Museum of Fine Arts (MdbK) Leipzig
2015 Release, Release, ROY G BIV Gallery, Columbus, USA
2014 Challenge, a room that…, Spinnerei Leipzig
2013 Freedom of Sleep, Stellwerk Kassel
2009 Facing the Eye, D21 Leipzig
Selected Group Shows
2024
Utopia Today – Posthuman Archaeologies, Videocity ✕ REX Box, Bern
Missing Tapes. Video Programm by Digital Salon Leipzig, Museum of Contemporary Art (GfZK) Leipzig
2023
AI: More than Human, Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona
BROCKHAUS, Alte Handelsschule Leipzig
Festival Unter Freiem Himmel: New Work/Good Work/Anti-Work, Kunstverein Die H_LLE, Braunschweig
Zwickau & Co., KV Freunde aktueller Kunst Zwickau
2022
Magic Machines, Technische Sammlungen Dresden
AI: More than Human, Guangdong Science Center, Guangzhou, China
AI: More than Human, Afundación, A Coruña, Spain
2021
Too much power (too little power), Kunstverein Wolfsburg
AI: More than Human, World Museum Liverpool, UK
Hommage. 27. Leipziger Jahresausstellung, Spinnerei Leipzig
VEKTOR, Die Box, Leipzig
Wir alle sind Gespenster, Kasseler Kunstverein
2020
Visions 2020, Nunnery Gallery, London
2019
AI: More than Human, The Curve, Barbican Centre London
Der optimierte Mensch, Museum of Fine Arts (Museum der bildenden Künste), Leipzig
V für Verantwortung, Kunstverein Wolfsburg
AI. More than Human, Groninger Forum, Groningen, NL
2018
IDENTIFICATION, Künstlerhaus Sootbörn, Hamburg
Leipziger Jahresausstellung: SILBER, Spinnerei Leipzig
2017
The Next Conversation, Galerie ABTART Stuttgart
Corpus Collective/It could be a Community, Pogon Zagreb, Coratia
Yours faithfully, Kunstverein Tiergarten, Berlin
2016
TeleGen, Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein, Vaduz
Miami Performance International Festival, Museum of Contemporary Art – MoCA, N. Miami, FL
Golem, Jewish Museum Berlin
Performance Voyage 6, The Finnish Institute, Stockholm / Sinne, Helsinki
I’ll Be Your Mirror. Screen Tests von Andy Warhol, Museum of Contemporary Art (GfZK) Leipzig
For Your Viewing Pleasure, Rehab Tavern, Columbus, OH
DOUBLE MAKE-UP. Stefan Hurtig ✕ Georg Lisek, Opekta Ateliers Köln
Keine Zeit, Künstlerhaus Dortmund
My Body is a Text … is a Picture … is a Bitch, Projektraum Pool, Karlsruhe
Mensch im Blick, Städtische Galerie im Park Viersen
Index’16 International Performance Festival, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
FAR OFF art fair, Cologne
AIM Wrocław 2016, Barbara, Wrocław, Pland
TOOLBOX, Berlin
This is… DYNAMICS, Bar Kosmetiksalon Babette, Berlin
2015
TeleGen, Kunstmuseum Bonn
Yearzero, kukk Zurich
VOLUMES, Independent Art Publishing Fair, Zurich
2.5.0. Object is Meditation and Poetry, GRASSI Museum of Applied Arts Leipzig
Grand Master Norm, Artists Unlimited Lab Bielefeld
SOCIÉTÉ, C. Rockefeller Center for the Contemporary Arts, Dresden
2013
Up till Now, Museum of Contemporary Art (GfZK) Leipzig
Hin und Weg, Freunde aktueller Kunst Zwickau
MOLT!, Atelierhof Kreuzberg Berlin
Screen Festival Barcelona
2012
Natur 3d, Museum of Fine Arts (MdbK) Leipzig
Jack in the Box, Halle 14/2. OG, Spinnerei Leipzig
Lindenow #8, Leipzig
2011
Im Strom der Zeit, Kunstraum Alexander Bürkle Freiburg i. B.
Eine Art Aufruhr, Haus am Lützowplatz Berlin
Win/Win, HALLE 14, Spinnerei Leipzig
Meisterschülerausstellung, HGB Leipzig
Die Möglichkeit einer Kunstinsel, D21 Art Space Leipzig
2010
PUZZLE. The Collection‘s Show, Museum of Contemporary Art (GfZK) Leipzig
[self ]~imaging, VideoChannel Cologne
2009
Querformat, Kunstverein Tiergarten Berlin