Alexander Hahn (artist)

Alexander Hahn (born 1954) is an artist working with electronic media. An innovator in his field, he addresses the electronic image as a technological metaphor for perception, memory and dream: signals oscillate between lighting up and blanking out, between sensory presence, mental apparition and oblivion. At the center of his artistic practice is everyday life—the seemingly ordinary. From daily video recordings, accidental, deliberate, or captured unnoticed—works emerge that are processed and transformed on the computer into a wide range of forms: long- and short-form videos, installations, computer images and prints, animations, virtual reality, AI-based image worlds, and prose texts.[1] The personal connects with the universal, weaving imagination, memory, and dream together with art, science, and history. Out of incidental yet singular acts arise precise, poetic reflections on perception, memory, forgetting, dream, and the ways we narrate ourselves. As art historian Dominique Radrizzani writes in the catalog Astral Memories of a Flying Man: "It is this luminous realm of dream that Hahn’s great art of light and shadow rediscovers, using video like those infinite eyes which night has opened in us (Novalis) ... The terrains explored by Hahn are not those of the terrestrial globe anymore, but rather those of the ocular globe, the inward looking hemisphere of the eye."[2]

Life

Hahn was born in Zürich and grew up in Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland. Introduced to computers while at the gymnasium Kantonsschule Zürcher Oberland in Wetzikon (1966–1973), he created a game of snakes and ladders in the APL (programming language). During his studies in Visual arts education at the Zurich University of the Arts (Bachelor in 1979), he made his first videos and Super8 films, e.g. Flight and Glass (1976) [3] or the Mockumentary Demis (1977) about the singer Demis Roussos. In 1981, he moved to New York and participated in the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program (ISP).

In 1990, he spent nine months in Rome as a fellow of the Istituto Svizzero. Between 1991 and 1994, he lived in Berlin, first as a fellow of the DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service, then as Artist-in-residence at ART+COM. From 1995 to 1997, he lived in Warsaw.[4]

Work

Since the late 1970s, Alexander Hahn has transformed episodes from his personal biography—as well as references to history and science—into art, foregrounding psyche, memory, and dream as central points of orientation.[5] In her chapter Miniature and Series: The Re-invention of the Epistolary Form in the Work of Alexander Hahn, Cathie Payne analyses Hahn’s video “miniatures” as a conceptual and aesthetic strategy for capturing transient, ephemeral interactions, discussing them as an intimate and reflective mode of practice (including in relation to accelerated urban density and a changing anthropogenic worldview).[6]

In one of his earliest solo presentations, Hahn showed the performance and installation Wege – Ways: first at Galerie Apropos (Lucerne) in 1978, later at Galerie Toni Gerber (Bern) in 1980, and at 626 Broadway (New York) in 1981.[7][8] Reviewing the Bern presentation, Res Ingold described the two-day staging in a private house at Schänzlihalde, featuring a salt-covered floor, a wire network under the ceiling, and hanging threads that Hahn lit one after another, so that “dozens of small fires” moved through the room; Ingold noted that “the performance lasts a long time. The same action is repeated many times, each time a new path. I am fascinated; a thousand ideas pass through my mind.”[9]

Since then, Hahn exhibited his work worldwide in over 20 solo exhibitions and in over 100 group shows and video festivals. In 2007, the Kunstmuseum Solothurn and Museum der Moderne Salzburg organized a retrospective about his work. The accompanying bilingual catalogue, Alexander Hahn: Werke/Works 1976–2006, edited by Christoph Vögele, was published by Kehrer Verlag (Heidelberg).[10]

In 2008, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art presented Hahn’s interactive video projection Luminous Point (2005) in the two-person exhibition Room for Thought: Alexander Hahn and Yves Netzhammer. Luminous Point is an interactive video projection that SFMOMA described as a virtual simulation of Hahn’s Manhattan apartment, functioning as a metaphor for his “mental landscape”.[11] Using a handheld remote control, viewers steer navigate through a game-like labyrinth of digitally constructed rooms and transitional videos derived from photographic and film records, slipping between reality and fantasy, memory and imagination.[12][11] Hahn describes the work as “an investigation of memory and architecture” in which his small tenement apartment becomes a “virtual wunderkammer” and a potentially infinite labyrinth of spaces.[13] The accompanying catalogue to the 2007 retrospective refers to Luminous Point as “archived reminiscence in an interactive memory palace”—a form of mnemonic architecture associated with the classical art of memory (see method of loci).[14]

In 2022/23, Kunstmuseum St. Gallen presented Memory of Light – Light of Memory, surveying 23 works and work groups from 1996 to 2022, with a focus on the Indian Cycle.[5] In its 2023 annual report, the museum reported acquisitions including the LED mosaic installation Transit of Earth (2022) and works from the The Artist’s Studio as Encryption Lab cycle of 3D computergraphic prints (2010–2022).[15]

Hahn was included in the national group exhibition IMPRESSION 2024/2025 at Kunsthaus Grenchen,[16] where his CFL – Coded Fluorescent Light II – A Video Rebus (2025) was selected as the winning project of the museum’s international ON AIR open call and presented as a site-specific projection through the building’s front window during the winter months.[17][18] In 2026, Hahn is also included in Mehr Licht. Video in der Kunst a cooperation between the Kunstmuseum Solothurn with the Aargauer Kunsthaus.[19]

In the context of his recent AI-related work, Visarte Switzerland published Hahn’s contribution on the series Stable Diffusion – Medusa Rising I–VIII (2023/2024) in 2025.[20]

Selected exhibitions

Solo exhibitions / project presentations (selected)

  • 2025/26: ON AIR :: CFL – Coded Fluorescent Light II – A Video Rebus (site-specific projection), Kunsthaus Grenchen (Switzerland).[21][22]
  • 2025: Getting Nowhere, Museum Jorn, Silkeborg (Denmark).[23]
  • 2022/23: Memory of Light – Light of Memory, Kunstmuseum St. Gallen (Switzerland).[24]
  • 2022: INDOCAM (world premiere), 57th Solothurn Film Festival (Switzerland).[25][26]
  • 2018: India Material, The Shed Space, Brooklyn, New York (United States).[27]
  • 2017: Moonlighting: Dance by Lunar Polarity, Schlesinger Stiftung, Wald, Appenzell Ausserrhoden (Switzerland).[28]
  • 2015: All the World is a Stage, Kunstraum Oktogon, Bern (Switzerland).[29]
  • 2013: Indian Records (NY Electronic Arts Festival), Harvestworks, New York (United States).[30]
  • 2012: Cao Chang Di Road on November 24 2009 I Stood There Waiting, Harvestworks, New York (United States).[31]
  • 2010: Bringing Things to a Standstill, Kunstraum Oktogon, Bern (Switzerland).[32]
  • 2010: Luminous Point, Le Petit Versailles, New York (United States).[33]
  • 2008: Alexander Hahn – Luminous Point, Museo d'Arte Contemporanea di Villa Croce, Genoa (Italy) (as part of Festival della Scienza).[34]
  • 2007: Works 1976–2006 (retrospective), Kunstmuseum Solothurn (Switzerland).[35]
  • 2007: Works 1976–2006 (retrospective), Museum der Moderne Salzburg (Austria).[36]
  • 2007: La Signoria degli Astri, Padiglione d'Arte Contemporanea, Ferrara (Italy).[37][38]
  • 2006: Darat al Funun, Amman (Jordan) (artist-in-residence; UNESCO Aschberg cooperation).[39]
  • 2002: Mémoires Astrales d'un Homme Volant, Musée Jenisch, Vevey (Switzerland).[40]
  • 2000: Memory of Presence, Netmage / LINK, Bologna (Italy).[41]
  • 1999: I Came Here to Sleep, Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, Berlin (Germany).[42]
  • 1995: Personal Records, Kunsthaus Zürich (Switzerland).[43]
  • 1994: Rats (Ratten), DAAD Galerie, Berlin (Germany).[44][45]
  • 1993: Of Shadow & Light, World Wide Video Centre, The Hague (Netherlands).[46]
  • 1984: Cyborgs and Other New Machines, White Columns, New York (United States).[47]
  • 1982: Plant #50-316, Franklin Furnace, New York (United States).[48]
  • 1980: Wege – Ways, Galerie Toni Gerber, Bern (Switzerland).[49][50]
  • 1978: Wege – Ways, Galerie Apropos, Lucerne (Switzerland).[48]

Group exhibitions / screenings (recent, selected)

  • 2026: What Happened to the City That Never Sleeps? (group screening; part of the New York By Foot screening series), Microscope Gallery, New York City; Hahn shown with Occurrence of Allen Street (2022)[51][52]
  • 2026: Mehr Licht. Video in der Kunst (Kunstmuseum Solothurn / Aargauer Kunsthaus cooperation), Kunstmuseum Solothurn (Switzerland).[53]
  • 2024/25: IMPRESSION 2024/2025, Kunsthaus Grenchen (Switzerland).[54]
  • 2025: Carte Blanche à Heure Exquise!: Les pionniers de l'art vidéo (screening programme; incl. Hahn’s Aerial Stills (1988)), Cinéma L’Univers, Lille (France), 2 October 2025.[55]
  • 2025: Print, Pixel, Patina – Vom (digitalen) Abdruck (group exhibition), Kunsthaus Grenchen (Switzerland), 22 June – 24 August 2025.[56] (Exhibition introduction by Robin Byland, artistic director.)[57]
  • 2025: From the Archives — Film and Video Art from the Archive of the FFV Bern (VideoEx, Zurich; screenings at Festivalkino Cinema Z3 on 17 May 2025 (19:30) and 25 May 2025 (15:30); Hahn shown with State of Being (1982)).[58]
  • 2025: Disruptions. Early Video Art in Europe (Chapter II: 1975–1979), FMAC – Fonds municipal d’art contemporain de la Ville de Genève (Switzerland), 27 March – 23 April 2025.[59]
  • 2025: Heidi Goes AI (group exhibition), Switzerland @ Pier 17, San Francisco (United States) (opening event 11 March 2025; closing event 15 April 2025).[60][61]

References

  1. ^ Zwez, Annelise. "Alexander Hahn im Kunstmuseum". Kunstbulletin (in German). Kunstbulletin. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  2. ^ Radrizzani, Dominique (2002). Alexander Hahn: Mémoires Astrales d'un Homme Volant (in French and English). Vevey, Switzerland: Musée Jenisch. p. 76. ISBN 2-88428-032-4. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  3. ^ Lechaut-Hirt, Lysianne. "Alex Hahn". newmedia-art.org. Musée Pompidou, Paris, France. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  4. ^ Vögele, Christoph (2007). Alexander Hahn :: Werke - Works 1976 - 2006 (in English and German). Heidelberg, Deutschland: Kehrer Verlag. p. 216. ISBN 978-3-939583-20-2. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Alexander Hahn – Memory of Light – Light of Memory". Kunstmuseum St. Gallen. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  6. ^ Payne, Cathie (2018). "Miniature and Series: The Re-invention of the Epistolary Form in the Work of Alexander Hahn". In Miles, Adrian (ed.). Digital Media and Documentary. Cham: Palgrave Pivot. pp. 83–99. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-68643-1_6.
  7. ^ "Curriculum Vitae". alexanderhahn.com. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  8. ^ "PLANT#2 16/349 / Wege". alexanderhahn.com. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  9. ^ Ingold, Res (1980-11-19). "Alexander Hahn inszenierte «Wege»: Dutzende von kleinen Feuern". Berner Zeitung. p. 11. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  10. ^ Vögele, Christoph (2007). Alexander Hahn :: Werke - Works 1976 - 2006 (in English and German). Heidelberg, Deutschland: Kehrer Verlag. p. 216. ISBN 978-3-939583-20-2. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  11. ^ a b "SFMOMA Announces New-media Installations By Alexander Hahn And Yves Netzhammer". San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. 2008-03-12. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  12. ^ "Room for Thought: Alexander Hahn and Yves Netzhammer". San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  13. ^ "Luminous Point". alexanderhahn.com. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  14. ^ "Alexander Hahn: Werke/Works 1976–2006 (table of contents)" (PDF). ETH Library (toc.library.ethz.ch). Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  15. ^ "Stiftung Kunstmuseum St. Gallen – Annual Report 2023" (PDF). Kunstmuseum St. Gallen. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  16. ^ "IMPRESSION 2024 / 2025". Kunsthaus Grenchen. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  17. ^ "Aktuelle Ausstellungen (ON AIR – Videokunst am Kunsthaus Grenchen)". Kunsthaus Grenchen. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  18. ^ "Informationen zum Werk: CFL – Coded Fluorescent Light II (ON AIR)" (PDF). Kunsthaus Grenchen. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  19. ^ "Mehr Licht. Video in der Kunst". Kunstmuseum Solothurn. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  20. ^ "Mitglieder-Inputs 2025: KI". Visarte Schweiz. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  21. ^ "ON AIR – Videokunst am Kunsthaus Grenchen". Kunsthaus Grenchen. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  22. ^ "ON AIR – CFL – Coded Fluorescent Light II – Ein Video-Rebus (Werkinfo)" (PDF). Kunsthaus Grenchen. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  23. ^ "Getting Nowhere". Museum Jorn. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  24. ^ "Alexander Hahn: Memory of Light – Light of Memory". Kunstmuseum St. Gallen. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  25. ^ "Mediendossier D 57. Solothurner Filmtage" (PDF). Solothurner Filmtage. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  26. ^ "57. Solothurner Filmtage (festival profile)". SWISS FILMS. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  27. ^ "Goings On". Franklin Furnace. 2018-04-11. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  28. ^ "Moonlighting: Dance by Lunar Polarity" (PDF). Schlesinger Stiftung. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  29. ^ "Alexander Hahn – All the World is a Stage". Kunstraum Oktogon. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  30. ^ "NY Electronic Festival 2013 – Alexander Hahn". Harvestworks. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  31. ^ "[Sep 14–16] Alexander Hahn". Harvestworks. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  32. ^ "Alexander Hahn – Bringing Things to a Standstill". Kunstraum Oktogon. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  33. ^ "Luminous Point". Allied Productions (Le Petit Versailles). Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  34. ^ "Alexander Hahn – Luminous Point". Exibart. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  35. ^ "Alexander Hahn – Works 1976–2006". art-tv.ch. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  36. ^ "Kulturplatz: Alexander Hahn – Werke 1976–2006". SRF. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  37. ^ "La signoria degli astri – Alexander Hahn (Ferrara)". Regione Emilia-Romagna – Patrimonio culturale. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  38. ^ "La signoria degli astri. Hahn, «filosofo» elettronico". il manifesto (archive). Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  39. ^ "Residents (Artists-in-residence)". Darat al Funun. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  40. ^ "Alexander Hahn: Mémoires Astrales d'un Homme Volant (exhibition catalogue)". Patrinum (Canton of Vaud). Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  41. ^ "Netmage 00 (Bologna)". Exibart. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  42. ^ "Hahn: I came here to sleep". Der Tagesspiegel. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  43. ^ "Annual Report 1995" (PDF). Kunsthaus Zürich. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  44. ^ "Er war Belgier und liebte die Pfeifen und das Meer". die tageszeitung (taz). Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  45. ^ "Alexander Hahn (entry, incl. publication Rats. Ratten.)". SIK-ISEA. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  46. ^ "Of Shadow & Light (publication for the World Wide Video Centre)". Stroom Den Haag – Online Catalogue. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  47. ^ "Cyborgs and Other New Machines". White Columns. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  48. ^ a b "Curriculum Vitae". alexanderhahn.com. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  49. ^ Ingold, Res (1980-11-19). "Alexander Hahn inszenierte «Wege»: Dutzende von kleinen Feuern". Berner Zeitung. p. 11.
  50. ^ "PLANT#2 16/349 / Wege". alexanderhahn.com. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  51. ^ "What Happened to the City That Never Sleeps? (as part of "New York By Foot")". Microscope Gallery. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  52. ^ "Events". Microscope Gallery. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  53. ^ "Mehr Licht. Video in der Kunst". Kunstmuseum Solothurn. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  54. ^ "IMPRESSION 2024/2025". Kunsthaus Grenchen. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  55. ^ "Carte Blanche à Heure Exquise ! : Les pionniers de l'art vidéo". Heure Exquise !. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  56. ^ "Print, Pixel, Patina – Vom (digitalen) Abdruck". Kunsthaus Grenchen. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  57. ^ "Print, Pixel, Patina – Vom (digitalen) Abdruck (invitation card)" (PDF). Kunsthaus Grenchen. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  58. ^ "State of being, Alexander Hahn (VideoEx 2025)". VIDEOEX. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  59. ^ "Disruptions. Early Video Art in Europe". FMAC – Collection d'art contemporain de la Ville de Genève. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  60. ^ "Online Exhibition: Heidi Goes AI". SWISS IMPACT USA. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  61. ^ "Closing Event: Deep Tech Nation Switzerland and AI". SWISS IMPACT USA. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
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