* Beginning at the KHM: What are the things you are most looking forward to and/or are excited about?

The students, their stories, and what they bring along – and how my/the seminars will be shaped by them. I am excited to be challenged, irritated, and to learn from both the students and my new colleagues. Also: as I come from a design background, and since design occupies a rather marginal position at KHM, I am eager to contribute my perspectives, practices, and understandings of design to the KHM/exMedia curriculum, while further developing them within this context.

* What is your artistic/scientific background? What are your main starting points in being an artist and/or scientist?

Well, my starting point is usually getting up in the morning. Mostly every day. Coming from design, I tend to approach questions slightly differently: authorship, contexts of reception beyond the art and cultural sphere, and the relationship between works and mass-produced objects. Besides being deeply passionate about form-giving, my practice has often been situated at the intersections of design, art, and social movements. I am interested in how visual communication shapes social realities and how design can engage with political, cultural, and collective processes.

* Which three words would you use to describe yourself or your topics?

I was always bad at math, so here are three words: conflict, desire, migration, racism, urban development, transformation, radical democracy, communication, design, polyphonic perspectives, fun, and lack of sleep. … or lack of sheep?

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The posts titled “welcome” present and welcome new staff members of exMedia.

More about Alexander Sandy Kaltenborn

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