Friedrich Förster & Sabine Weißinger

Friedrich Förster (Tübingen, Germany). In the 1970s, he studied biology and then specialized in neuroscience at the University of Tübingen. In the 1980s, he undertook postgraduate studies and work at the Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen. Since the 1980s, he has developed and used specific projection and laser applications for artistic intermedia projects, often in audio-visual projects with musicians and other performing artists. In the early 1990s, he won prizes from Ars Electronica and International Laser Display Association, USA. Since 1996, he has been a member of an artistic team with Sabine Weißinger.

Sabine Weißinger (Tübingen, Germany). 1978–80 training and work at the stained glass crafts enterprise Gaiser & Fieber, Stuttgart. In the 1980s, she studied art history and science of religion at the University of Stuttgart, Florence and Tübingen, and undertook training at Zeicheninstitut University of Tübingen and Freie Kunstschule Stuttgart 1992–1995 managing director of cultural center Sudhaus Tübingen 1995–2000 editor in chief of review glasforum on glass architecture. Since 1996, she has been a member of an artistic team with Friedrich Förster

When Friedrich Förster and Sabine Weißinger met in the mid-1990s, a concurrence of experiences and interests began, which led to the ongoing concerted development of illumination projects on an international scale. Against the background of his studies in natural science, Förster had been involved for years in the research and use of the potential of light to create and perform visual structures and images in audiovisual art. Weißinger contributed the knowledge and experience gained during her studies in cultural sciences, art history, and fine arts, including her training in glass painting. Within the broad variety of Casa Magica-projects, Förster pays special attention to close interrelationship between sound/music and visual form, creating, visuals based on sound sonograms, for example or – conversely – sounds read out from visual structures. This has given rise to steadily growing collections of videos, which are used in augmented-reality-works, classical audiovisual shows, and live performances.