Clemens Winkler
Clemens Winkler is a Design Researcher whose work relates environmental concerns and social, scientific and technological development.
His current projects explore questions on atmospheric control, its epistemic foundations and institutional affiliations. By experimentally linking metabolic formations of indoor weather to planetary weather events, the focus lies on experiencing, notating and speculating in unstable matter. Here, material nuclei become intellectual and intimate markers that question experimental modes of knowledge transfer in the methodologies of his research group Object Space Agency.
Clemens has taught and exhibited internationally. He is also a visiting professor for New Media in theatre practices at the University of Performing Arts Ernst Busch Berlin in the MA studio »Spiel&Objekt«. Here, establishing a theme park for debate on current societal concerns on sensing media, such as digital data, polluted air, microbial life, carbon, heat or energy, is at the core.
He studied at Burg Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule Halle, UdK Berlin, MIT Media Labs, and in »Design Interactions« at the Royal College of Art, London. In addition to his PhD »Resonanzen im Formlosen – Zur Untersuchung erfahrungsbasierter Materialsprachen« at the UfG Linz, he founded his Designstudio as »Laboratory for Narrative Materials« (2018).
Edited Volumes & Exhibition Catalogues
Stein, C., Blümle, C., Kim, Y., Le Calvé, M., Miodragović, N., Samuel, N., Winkler, C. eds. 2025. Stretching Materialities. Forthcoming. Hamburg: adocs.
Perraudin, L., Winkler, C., Mareis, C., Held, M. eds. 2023. Material Trajectories. Designing With Care? Lüneburg: meson press.
https://doi.org/10.14619/2201
Articles in Edited Volumes
Perraudin, L., Winkler, C. 2023. »Desinging With Care? A Pending Question.« In Material Trajectories. Designing With Care?, edited by Perraudin, L., Winkler, C., Mareis, C., Held, M. Lüneburg: meson Press, 15-29.
https://doi.org/10.14619/2201
Schwabe, S., Huelsen, J., Truebswetter, A., Meinzer, J., Werner, E., Schreiner, S., Wallenborn, J. T., with the contributions by Winkler, C., et al. 2022. »Luftstoff.« In Farming the uncanny valley, edited by Schwabe, S., Huelsen, J., Truebswetter, A. Berlin: Verlag der Universität der Künste Berlin, 48, 86, 122.
https://www.farming-the-uncanny-valley.net/en/fuv-book
Perraudin, L., Rešetar, I., Winkler, C. 2021. »The Body of Breath: Morphologies of Air Movement.« In Atem / Breath: Gestalterische, ökologische und soziale Dimensionen / Morphological, ecological and social dimensions, edited by Burchert, L., Rešetar, I. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110701876-006
Winkler, C. 2020. »Per-Forming Clouds – Materielle Dynamiken als Kommunikationsmodelle.« In Matters of Communication - Formen und Materialitäten gestalteter Kommunikation, edited by Foraita, S, Herlo, B., Vogelsang, A. Bielefeld: transcript, 206-212.
https://doi.org/10.14361/9783839451182-022
Articles
Le Calvé, M., Miodragović, N., Samuel, N., Sattler, F., Stein, C., Winkler, C. 2023. »The virtual tour as digital fieldwork between art and anthropology. A multimodal inquiry on the transitional, transformative and leaky nature of the exhibition space at the Tieranatomisches Theater (Berlin).« Forthcoming.
Foerster, D., Milicevic M., Sobecka K., Toland, A., Winkler, C. 2022. »Whale Falls, Carbon Sinks – Aesthetics and the Anthropocene.« From the conversations and visual research of the Carbon Aesthetics group, hosted at the Max Plank Institute for History of Science. Anthropogenic Markers.
https://www.anthropocene-curriculum.org/anthropogenic-markers/combustion/contribution/whale-falls-carbon-sinks, https://miro.com/app/embed/uXjVOKoaKnE=/?pres=1&frameId=3458764521542591110
Design Projects
Nestler, A., Schmidt, E., Stein, C., Trinkle, J., Wegener, F., Winkler, C. 2020. Virtual Cluster Space. Design Project. Since 11 November 2020, Virtual.
https://www.virtualspace.matters-of-activity.de
Exhibitions
Perraudin, L. (curator), Müller, M. (curator), Mahouti, M. (exhibition design), Werner, K. (project management and workshop concept), Winkler, C. (collaborator), Nestler, A. (communication and workshop concept), Steinhardt, S. (communication), Bullermann, E. (design assistant). Airbound. Sensing Collective Futures. Exhibition. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, CollActive Materials. CLB Berlin at Aufbau Haus. 20 October 2023 - 9 November 2023.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/11645/airbound-sensing-collective-futures
Winkler, C., Blümle, C. (project leaders, curatorial leaders), Kim, Y., Le Calvé, M., Miodragović, N., Samuel, N., Stein, C. (concept, curators), Trabandt, M.-L., Ladik, L. (project assistants). Stretching Materialities – Hidden Activities in Objects and Spaces. Exhibition. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Tieranatomisches Theater, Berlin. 16 September 2021 - 4 March 2022.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/6006/exhibition-stretching-materialities
Le Calvé, M., Miodragović, N., Samuel, N., Stein, C., Winkler, C. TA Tour – eine virtuelle Ausstellung in 360-Grad-Aufnahmen. Exhibition. Conception and implementation in collaboration with the research group Object Space Agency. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Since 1 June 2020.
http://tieranatomisches-theater.de/ta_tour/
Winkler, C., Interactive Installation. Macht Natur – Nutrition Clouds. Exhibition. STATE Studio Berlin. 14 August 2020 - 18 September 2020.
https://macht-natur.de/en/topics/luft
Highlighted by TV Interview 3Sat Nano - In welcher Luft wollen wir leben?.
Winkler, C., Forschungswerkstatt smart materials. Fictional Materials – Smart Material Satellites. Exhibition. Collaboration with BMBF funded project Smart Materials Satellites. Technische Sammlungen Dresden. 5 May 2018 - 28 October 2021.
https://www.tsd.de/de/mm/forschung/smart-materials-satellites
Contributions to Exhibitions
Winkler, C. »Fictional Materials.« At the exhibition: Designlabor: Material und Technik. Museum für Gestaltung, Zürcher Hochschule der Künste. 12 May 2020 - 6 September 2020.
https://museum-gestaltung.ch/de/ausstellung/designlabor-material-und-technik/
Winkler, C. »Mutable Drugs.« At the exhibition: smart materials satellites. Material als Experiment. Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau, Siedlung Dessau-Törten. 13 July 2017 - 22 October 2017.
https://www.bauhaus-dessau.de/de/ausstellungen/smart-materials-satellites.html
Consultancies
Winkler, C. (workshop leader, designer, researcher). 2019. Luftstoff Workshop Reihe (Air Workshop Series). Workshop at CityLab Berlin. Citizen Science, https://www.farming-the-uncanny-valley.net/topics/luft. 15 November 2019 - 22 November 2019.
Public Engagement
Perraudin, L. (project leader), Müller, M. (project leader), Winkler, C. (host, co-facilitator), Werner, K. (coordinator, moderator), Tikka, E. (workshop design), Nestler, A. (science communication), Bullermann E. (project assistant), Steinhardt, S. (science communication). 2023. Spekulativer Co-Design Workshop: Es liegt etwas in der Luft. Bühne & Umwelt. Berlin University Alliance, Clusters of Excellence »Matters of Activity« and »Science of Intelligence«, Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch, MA program Spiel&Objekt. Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch, Berlin. 6 May 2023.
https://www.collactive-materials.de/workshops/
Talks & Presentations
Mareis, C., Perraudin, L., Winkler, C., Löffler, P. Sprenger, F. Held, M. Future Ecologies Book Series Presentation. incl. Book Launch "Material Trajectories. Designing with Care?" at the Pro qm Bookstore. 23 February 2024.
Werner, B. (moderator/organizer), Winkler, C. (organizer), Jordan, A. D. H. About Clouds, Robots and the Sea – Thoughts on the Aesthetics of Metabolic Formations, Biodiversity and New Ecologies in Art and Design. Artist talk with Anne Duk Hee Jordan and Clemens Winkler in conversation with Babette Marie Werner, Tieranatomisches Theater, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Contribution to the exhibition Stretching Materialities – Hidden Activities in Objects and Spaces, Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 16 September 2021 - 4 March 2022. Hybrid. 28 February 2022.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/7517/about-clouds-robots-and-the-sea-thoughts-on-the-aesthetics-of-metabolic-formations-biodiversity-and-new-ecologies-in-art-and-design
Winkler, C. Swiss Design Network Conference 2022 »Counterparts: Exploring Design Beyond the Human«. Keynote at the Design and New Materialism. Zurich. Hybrid. 28 October 2022.
https://counterparts.ch/program
Di Blasi, J., Le Calvé, M., Miodragović, N., Samuel, N., Stein, C., Winkler, C. Activity of Collections: How to deal with »Active Material« in Exhibitions and Collections? Podiumsgespräch at the Times of Waste – Handling Matter, Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst, Basel. Podiumsgespräch. Virtual. 18 June 2021.
Di Blasi, J., Le Calvé, M., Miodragović, N., Samuel, N., Stein, C., Winkler, C. Stretching: Round-table discussion. ›Activity of collections‹: How to Deal with ›Active Material‹ in Exhibitions and Collections? Invited moderation at the Symposium »Times of Waste – Handling Matter«, Methods and Practices to Re-present Transnational Material Research. Organized by FHNW Academy of Art and Design Basel in cooperation with the Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and the Museum of Decorative Arts Berlin. Virtual. 18 June 2021.
http://times-of-waste.ch/de/symposium/
Winkler, C., De Visscher, E. New Materialisms and their Designs. Talk at the Research Colloquium »Design and the History of Knowledge« organized by Mareis,C. and Büsse, M., Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Virtual. 12 May 2021.
Winkler, C. Speculating Materials. Talk at the Morphing Matter Lab, Carnegie Mellon University. Virtual. 2 April 2021.
https://www.morphingmatter.cs.cmu.edu/salon/guestlecture-clemens-winkler
Winkler, C. Material based-design methods on the example of the Biodesign exhibition »MACHT NATUR« @ STATE Studio Berlin. HSL-Klausur, Input II. HGK FHNW, Basel. FHNW Academy of Art and Design Basel. 26 August 2020.
Winkler, C. Nutrition Clouds. Keynote at the Biodesign Online Symposium 2020 – Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment and Biodesign-Challenge Hub, Northumbria University. Virtual. 11 November 2020.
http://bbe.ac.uk/biodesign-symposium/
Winkler, C. Future of Design Education: Ivory Tower vs. Reality. Panel Presentation at the HURRA HURRA Festival, Burg Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule Halle, Ivory Tower vs. Reality. Hochschule für Kunst und Design Burg Giebichenstein, Halle (Saale). 5 October 2019.
https://www.burg-halle.de/hurrahurra/program.html
Winkler, C., Franzke, L. Vergänglichkeit und Immersion. Talk at the the Abschlussymposium zum Ausstellungsprojekt smart materials satellites. Material als Experiment, Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau, Dessau Törten. Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau. 21 October 2017.
Events & Workshops
Douny, L., Krauthausen, K., Sattler, F. (organizers and moderators), Miodragovic, N., Samuel N., De Visscher, E., Winkler, C. (guests) Translating Material Practices. Tieranatomisches Theater Berlin. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 28 March 2023.
Marienberg, S., Schäffner, W. »Intercultural Views on Matter«. Gemeinsamer Workshop des Exzellenzclusters mit der Akademie für Europäische Kulturen der Tongji Universität Shanghai. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 28 June 2023 - 29 November 2023.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/11265/intercultural-views-on-matter
Nestler, A., Ott, C., Wegener, F. (organizers), with contributions by Akbal, Z., Almpani-Lekka, D., Beyer, B., Dierichs, K., Eder, M., Farmer, J., Fekonja, L., Krauthauen, K., Miodragović, N., Queisner, M., Rodrigues, L., Singer, N., Stein, C, Winkler, C. Open Space – Active Matter on Stage. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Berlin. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 8 November 2023 - 9 November 2023.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/11681/open-space-active-matter-on-stage
Bauer, F., Guiducci, L., Hathroubi, S., Kim, Y., Marienberg, S., Miodragović, N., Nestler, A., Rešetar, I., Winkler, C. 2nd Annual Conference »Tipping Points. Plastic, Contingent and Unstable Matters«. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Hybrid. 16 November 2021 - 17 November 2021.
www.matters-of-activity.de/de/activities/6581/tipping-points-plastic-contingent-and-unstable-matters
Held, M. (co-chair), Kimpel, K. (co-chair), Mareis, C. (co-chair), Perraudin, L. (organization), Sauer, C. (co-chair), Winkler, C. (organization). »Material Trajectories. Designing with Care«, 17th Annual Conference of the German Society for Design Theory and Research (DGTF). Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, weißensee school of art and design berlin. Virtual. 6 May 2021 - 8 May 2021.
https://materialtrajectories.dgtf.de/
Winkler, C., Beyer, B. Guest Critique at Bio-Integrated Design UCL London. Bio-Integrated Design (Bio-ID) MArch/MSc, UCL London. Virtual. 21 January 2021 - 22 January 2021.
Winkler, C. Metabolic Pathways – Suspended Infrastructures. Bauhaus Stiftung Dessau. At Bauhaus Study Rooms 2021. Virtual. 17 June 2021.
https://www.bauhaus-dessau.de/en/bauhaus-study-rooms-20211.html
De Visscher, E., Miadrogović, N., Wenig, C., Winkler, C. Symposium »Times of Waste – Handling Matter«. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, FHNW Academy of Art and Design Basel, Museum of Decorative Arts. 18 March 2020 - 19 March 2020.
http://times-of-waste.ch/de/symposium/
Winkler, C. (workshop leader, designer, researcher). Luftstoff Workshop Reihe (Air workshop series). CityLab Berlin. Citizen Science. 15 November 2019 - 22 November 2019.
https://www.farming-the-uncanny-valley.net/topics/luft
Teaching & Courses
Perraudin, L., Tikka, E., Winkler, C., Müller, M. Aerial Witness/ing. (Summer) School, Future of Life – Elementals. Biodesign Lab, HfG Karlsruhe / ZKM Karlsruhe. 24 July 2023 - 29 July 2023.
https://biodesignlab.hfg-karlsruhe.de/en/news/future-of-life-elementals
Winkler, C., Pense, L. Juror at International Marianne Brandt Design Award 2022. Committee work., Chemnitz. 29 October 2023.
https://marianne-brandt-wettbewerb.de/en/announcement.html
Winkler, C., Franzke, L. (ZHdK) Digital Fabrication Seminar – Quantum Fabrication. Block Seminar, with contribution from Stein, C. Zurich University of the Arts, Zurich. 4 January 2021 - 15 January 2021.
http://wiki.iad.zhdk.ch/DF/1639579661/Digital+Fabrication+HS+2020
Winkler, C., Miodragović, N., Stein, C. Speculative Objects – Mapping Weather and Material Activities through the Body. Block Seminar, Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts, Berlin. 1 December 2021 - 11 December 2021.
https://spielundobjekt.de
Winkler, C., with Tomasello, G., de Haas, M. Biodesign Co-Creation Course. Seminar, Umeå Institute of Design. 18 February 2021 - 22 March 2021.
http://www.dh.umu.se/en/education/programmes/mfa-in-interaction-design/
Winkler, C. Hypermutation – Symbiotic Air Mutants. Seminar, University of the Arts, Berlin. 18 October 2021 - 14 February 2022.
Winkler, C. with Speziale, Anabella (UBA), Lenz, Felix (Die Angewandte Wien). Media Technologies II on Micro Climate Fictions – MA »Open Design«. Course within the Master’s Program “Open Design”, Humboldt-Universität Berlin/Universidad de Buenos Aires. 15 September 2021 - 27 September 2021.
Winkler, C. with van Ditmar, D. F. (Royal College of Art London). Subtraction for Future Design. Seminar, Royal College of Art, London. 4 February 2021 - 25 March 2021.
Winkler, C. with Audrey-Chieza, N., Agapakis, C. Invited Juror and Mentor at Ginkgo Bioworks Creative Residency Boston. Ginkgo Bioworks, Boston. 27 April 2020 - 12 February 2021.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/2115/cluster-member-clemens-winkler-becomes-jury-member-at-gingko-bioworks-the-organism-company
Winkler, C. with Franzke, Luke (ZHdK), Orkan Telhan (ETHZ). Digital Co-Fabrication Methods. Block Seminar, Zurich University of the Arts. 13 January 2020 - 24 January 2020.
http://wiki.iad.zhdk.ch/DF/652083205/Digital+Fabrication+HS+2019
Winkler, C., with Vijayakumar Veena (Biodesign Challenge), Parsons School of Design, New York City, Museum of Modern Art, New York City. »Cyanobiome« – Biodesign Challenge Finals 2019. Block Seminar, Zurich University of the Arts. 3 June 2019 - 24 June 2021.
https://www.biodesignchallenge.org/zurich-university
Winkler, C. with Perner-Wilson, H. (Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts). Speculative Objects – Per-Forming Clouds. Block Seminar, Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts, Berlin. 18 November 2019 - 6 December 2019.
https://spielundobjekt.de
Offered & Deputy Professorships
Winkler, C. 2022. Gastprofessor für digitale Medien im Studiengang Spiel und Objekt. Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch.
https://spielundobjekt.de/2022/10/19/herzlich-willkommen-prof-clemens-winkler/
Hosting of Guest Researchers at the Cluster
Winkler. C. Stretching Materialities. Hosting Felix Lenz. from https://felixlenz.at/, Vienna, Austria. 23 August 2021 - 16 October 2021.
Press Articles
Murašov, E. 2022. »Berliner Spitzenforschung. Guter Stoff für eine nachhaltige Zukunft.« In Zeiten der Ressourcenknappheit braucht es neue Werkstoffe, die umweltschonend sind und effizient herstellbar. Der Forschungscluster »Matters of Activity« liefert dafür reichlich Nährboden. Tagesspiegel, 12 December 2022.
https://www.tagesspiegel.de/wissen/berliner-spitzenforschung-guter-stoff-fur-eine-nachhaltige-zukunft-9015268.html