Georg Winter

Georg Winter (born 1962 in Biberach/Riß) is Professor for Sculpture/Public Art at Hochschule der Bildenden Künste Saar (HBK Saar) since 2007. His artistic practice spans multiple institutions including previous professorships at the Academy of Fine Arts Nuremberg (2003-2007) and teaching positions at Zurich University of the Arts, Merz Academy Stuttgart, and University of Stuttgart. He founded several research collectives including S_A_R Projektbüro in Völklingen, Volume V, Arbeitsgemeinschaft Retrograde Strategien in Berlin, and Urban Research Institute in Nuremberg.

Winter's work operates at the intersection of sculpture, media art, and social practice, fundamentally redefining traditional notions of public art. His practice involves temporary laboratories, urban interventions, and self-organizing performances that create what he terms 'sculptural organizational and action forms.' Rather than conventional sculpture, he develops dynamic spatial interventions like the 'Space of Total Retreat' that challenge the boundaries between art, architecture, and social engagement.

His research interests focus on expanded media, retrograde strategies, urban interventions, and the creation of alternative spaces within institutional frameworks. Notable projects include UKIYO CAMERA SYSTEMS (UCS), 'UCS Augentrost Ambulanz,' and 'UCS Massen-Fernhypnose,' which explore sensory experiences and alternative perceptions within public spaces. His work consistently questions conventional artistic boundaries while engaging deeply with urban environments and social dynamics.

Winter's publications and projects from 2007-2015 demonstrate a consistent focus on spatial politics, public engagement, and alternative institutional structures. His work shows increasing integration of media technology with spatial interventions, moving from site-specific sculptures toward more complex systems involving audience participation, sensory manipulation, and institutional critique.

• Scholarship from Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg (1992)
• 1st Prize from Hilde Frey Stiftung Biberach (1996)
• Scholarship from Akademie Schloss Solitude Stuttgart (1999)

As an educator, Winter emphasizes experimental approaches through courses like 'Anarchistic Art Activities' (AAA), encouraging students to develop their own projects with minimal constraints while engaging with urban environments. His teaching philosophy mirrors his artistic practice, focusing on disruption, reflection, and the creation of alternative spaces within institutional frameworks. He has supervised numerous student projects focused on public interventions, urban exploration, and experimental media practices.

Winter leads the UKIYO CAMERA SYSTEMS (UCS) research group, which serves as both a technical platform for developing camera technology and a conceptual framework for media interventions. Through UCS, he has developed numerous projects that challenge conventional media consumption and spatial experience, often collaborating with institutions like Museum Folkwang and creating interventions that transform how audiences engage with art and public space.