As part of the dialogue between human and non-human existences in the “art system” and the “everything-else system,” since the 1990s Hörner/Antlfinger address politically explosive topics and offer critical perspectives on the technologization of our world. Their installations, videos and sculptures deal with the relationship between humans, animals and machines and the utopian vision of fair terms of interaction between these parties. Following their exploration of the social constructs that dictate human-animal relationships, their current focus is on how these constructs can be changed. Two protagonists who advise them on this question are the grey parrots Clara and Karl with whom they have carried out the interspecies collaboration CMUK since 2014.
Ute Hörner 1983-89 studies of sculpture at the Academy of Arts Stuttgart
1993-96 Studies of Media art at the Academy of Media Art Cologne
1998 Festival direction of the Videonale 8 at Bonner Kunstverein
1999-2009 Professor of Art and Media at Burg Giebichenstein, Art Academy Halle
2009-2022 Professor of Media Art/Transmedia Spaces at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne
Since 2023 Professor of Multispecies Storytelling at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne.
Mathias Antlfinger 1983-89 Studies of art education at the
Academy of Arts Stuttgart and mathematics at the University Stuttgart
1988-92 Member of artists group Büro Bert
1990-95 Studies of Fine Arts at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf
Since 2009 professor of Media Art/Transmedia Spaces at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne
Hörner/Antlfinger live and work in Cologne
Exhibitions and Screenings (Selection): “MEMORY IS NOT ONLY PAST”, Akademie der Künste der Welt, Cologne (2024), “IN THE FOREIGN. Aspects of Migration”, Kaunas Picture Gallery, Kaunas, Lithuania (2023), “VIDEOCITY, Gleitende Identitäten”, REX Box, Bern (2023). “Animalia, Streifzüge von Los Angeles bis Mumbai”, Kunsthalle Darmstadt (2023), “becoming-with”, Streitfeld München (2023), “ParrotPeople”, Meinblau Project Space, Berlin (2023), „Visual Natures: The Politics and Culture of Environmentalism of the 20th and 21st Centuries“, Research Exhibition, MAAT | Museu de Arte, Arquitetura e Tecnologia, Lisboa (2022), „Parrots and Swans“, Ratingen (2022), “Yūgen App” Porto Design Biennale (2021), “wild/schön, Tiere in der Kunst”, Kunsthalle Emden (2021), “Der Traum vom Wohnen”, Museum Ratingen (2021), “THE CONNECTION: von pflanzen, menschen und anderen tieren”, IFFF Dortmund (2021), “Octopus Encounters, An Immersive Library”, GLASMOOG, Köln (2020), “Artist Videos Collection”, Alfred Brehm Haus, Renthendorf (2020), Okto-Lab19, “A Gallery of Octopus Aesthetics”, Plimsoll Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania (2019), “Goodbye Cruel World, It’s Over”, Weltkunstzimmer, Düsseldorf (2019) “A Museum of Curiosity“, 14th Trienniale of small-scale sculpture, Fellbach (2019), “HEART OF AN OLD CROCODILE EXPLODING OVER A SMALL TOWN“, Temporary Gallery, Köln (2019), “INSIDE ECOLOGIES“, Weltkunstzimmer Düsseldorf (2018), “TIERISCH BESTE FREUNDE, Über Haustiere und ihre Menschen“, Deutsches Hygiene-Museum, Dresden (2017), “TAVIDAN“, CCA-Center for Contemporary Art Tbilisi, Georgien (2017), “Animal and the Logic of Others“, Exhibition Laboratory, Helsinki (2017), “alles zur Zeit, Über den Takt, der unser Leben bestimmt“, Vögele Kulturzentrum, Pfäffikon, Schweiz (2017), “Animal Lovers“, NGBK Berlin (2016), “PlanetB“, NRW Forum Düsseldorf (2016) | “DIE WELT IN DER WIR LEBEN“, kjubh Kunstverein, Köln (2016) | “SARAJEVO TIME TRAVEL AGENCY“, Gallery Duplex100m2, Sarajevo (2016) | “we, animals – biographies“, Meinblau Berlin (2014) | “naturantes“, Paco das Artes, Soa Paolo, Brasila (2014) | “Tavidan, Ursprung und Entstehung“, Weltkunstzimmer Düsseldorf (2014) | “Hörner/Antlfinger, Discrete Farms“, Edith-Russ-Site for Media Art, Oldenburg (2012) | “Ars Electronica“, Austria (2012) | “Live Wire. Art and Electricity“, Shedhalle Zürich, Switzerland (2011) | “Videonale: Dialogue in Contemporary Video Art“, National Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan (2011)| “Istanbul Time Travel Experiment“, Istanbul 2010, European Capital of Culture, Turkey (2010) | “Images in Movement, Artists & Video/Film“, Museum Ludwig, Cologne (2010) | “Der blinde Fleck“, Neue Gesellschaft für Bildende Kunst, NGBK Berlin (2008) | “Wildes Kapital“, Kunsthaus Dresden, Galerie für Gegenwartskunst (2006) | “Happy Believers“, Werkleitz Biennale (2006) | “Hörner/Antlfinger, figures“, Galerie der Stadt Backnang (2004) | “Das Museum unserer Wünsche“, Museum Ludwig, Köln (2001) | “Ars Viva Kunst und Wissenschaft“, ZKM Karlsruhe, Ludwigforum Aachen, Staatliche Galerie Moritzburg Halle | “Hörner/Antlfinger, Two Lives Dialogues“, NGBK Berlin (1999)
International Festivals: Transmediale Berlin | European Media Art Festival Osnabrück | Shift Electronic Arts Festival Basel | Videonale Bonn | Digital Art Festival, Taipei | ISEA 2010 (Dortmund) | Kasseler Documentary Film and Video Festival | Lux Media Art Festival Sydney (Australia) | International Short Film Festival Oberhausen
Grants and Awards: Travel Grant Tasmania, ifa (2019), First Place, contest for art-in-architecture, City of Munich (2019, Project Grant, Kunststiftung NRW (2015), Project Grant, ifa (2015), Urban Space Video Walk Prize (2015), Honorary Mention, Prix Ars Electronica, Linz (2012) | Project Grant, Kunststiftung NRW (2012) | Artists in Residence, Digital Art Center Taipei, Taiwan (2011) | Project Grant, Edith-Russ-Haus for Media Arts, Oldenburg (2010) | Project Grant, Mikulov Art Symposium, Czech Republic (2009) | 5. Marler Video-Installation-Award (2008) | Stipendium der Kunststiftung Sachsen-Anhalt im Kontext der 7. Werkleitz-Biennale (2006) | Werk 04, Preis für Kunst im öffentlichen Raum, Bildhauersymposion Heidenheim (2004) | ars viva 00/01 – Preis für Bildende Kunst des Kulturkreises der deutschen Wirtschaft im BDI (2001) | Stipendium der Kunststiftung NRW (1998)