Felix Lenz

Felix Lenz – a research-led artist, filmmaker, and graduate of the department Design Investigations at die Angewandte – is representing Austria at the 24th Triennale di Milano, engaging with this year’s theme: “Inequalities.” Austria’s official contribution to the Triennale offers a critical exploration of the entanglements between technology, ecology, power, and inequality. In the interview, he discusses his installation “Soft Image, Brittle Grounds” and reflects on how his academic studies have influenced his artistic approach. Find the full interview via the link in bio. Artistic concept and realization⁠: Felix Lenz⁠ @_lenzflare Commissioner⁠: Lilli Hollein, General Director and Artistic Director, MAK⁠ @mak_vienna @lillihollein Curator:⁠ Marlies Wirth @marlieswirth , Curator, Digital Culture and Design Collection, MAK⁠ ⁠Funding:⁠ Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport of the Republic of Austria⁠ ⁠Cooperation partner⁠: University of Applied Arts Vienna @dieangewandte ⁠ Production assistants: Miriam Daxl @miriam.daxl , Leo Mühlfeld @leo.muehlfeld . Brute Force, 2025 Directed & produced by: Felix Lenz Produced at Design Investigations @design_investigations @anabjain Co-direction: Ganaël Dumreicher @ganael_gana . Valley of the Heart’s Delight, 2025 Consultant: Gregg Castro, T’rowt’raahl Salinan / Rumsen & Ramaytush Ohlone Cinematography: Jaakko Taavila @jaakkotaavila , Julian Giacomuzzi @juliangiacomuzzi Color Grading: Fatih Öger @fatihoeger Supported by: CMOCOS Camera Motion Control System / Andreas Margreiter . Triennale di Milano @triennalemilano 13.5.2025—9.11.2025 — Video Interview Interview: Jonathan Hörnig Video: David Avazzadeh

Brute Force is heading to Rio de Janeiro!🤍 Thrilled for our South American premiere at the Oscar-qualifying @curtacinema this weekend. Afterwards the journey continues with invitations at the @adafgreece Athens Digital Art Festival, @febiofest Bratislava and the @biennale_internazionale_donna in Trieste. Dates: 29.03. / Rio de Janeiro / Cinemas Estação NET Rio 19.04. / Trieste / BID the Screen 23.04. - 26.04. / Athens / Technopolis (Gazi) Brute Force is also still on view at @mak_vienna until 26.07.2026. Tuesday - Sunday; 10:00 - 18:00 on loop. The film is part of the exhibition “Soft images, Brittle grounds” by @_lenzflare , curated by @marlieswirth and commissioned by @lillihollein Credits: Research, Direction & Editing: @_lenzflare Co-direction: @ganael_gana Produced by @lenzflare at @design_investigations Cinematography: Stella-Joya Puellacher, @jaakkotaavila Jonas Heuwieser @_lenzflare Voice: Day-Eve Komet @audioslut_garden Text: @laura_stoeckler , @_lenzflare & @aainud Music: @fabianlanzmaier & @ganael_gana Sound Design: @ganael_gana Additional Sound Design: @i.lake.wav V.O. Recording: @nori_uzumaki Mix: Bernhard Zorzi / @blautoene.studio Bird scultpure @chinatownlucy & @neo_angien Model @isaprae & @_lenzflare Color Grading @fatihoeger VfX @lenkall Best boy @v_forsten & Mathis Walter Title & credit design: @manulndr Distributed by @lemonade_films 📸 ©️1 Felix Lenz/Jaakko Taavila, ©️2 Laura Stöckler, ©️3- 5 Felix Lenz

NOW ON VIEW: FELIX LENZ: Soft Image, Brittle Grounds ⁠ ⁠ The exhibition by Felix Lenz (@_lenzflare ) reveals how the complexity of the world collides with the reductive rationalities of the digital age. The 30-minute essay film Brute Force [Exhibition Cut] (2025) was filmed across multiple countries, including key scenes at the salt lakes and salt deserts of Utah and California. The film approaches salt as an archive of the absence of water—as a material index of climate calamity, resource depletion, and their unequal distribution. Brute Force was co-directed with Ganaël Dumreicher (@ganael_gana ). ⁠ ⁠ The title of the newly developed three-channel video installation Valley of the Heart’s Delight (2025) references the historical name of the once fertile land, now known as Silicon Valley. Captured through the lens of an industrial robotic arm, layers of soil and crushed white shells evoke the sacred shellmounds of the Indigenous Ohlone people. ⁠ ⁠ Dialogue Tours with artist Felix Lenz and curator Marlies Wirth ⁠ Fri, 17.4., 4.30 PM⁠ Fri, 3.7., 4.30 PM⁠ ⁠ Artist Talk ⁠ Felix Lenz in conversation with Janina Falkner, Head MAK Education and Outreach ⁠ Tue, 5.5., 6 PM ⁠ ⁠ Exhibition Dates⁠ 11.2.–26.7.2026⁠ More info and tickets for the supporting program via Link in Bio. ⁠ ⁠ ――――⁠ ⁠ Artistic Concept and Realization⁠ Felix Lenz (@_lenzflare )⁠ ⁠ Curator⁠ Marlies Wirth (⁠@marlieswirth ), Curator, Digital Culture and MAK Design Collection⁠ ⁠ Graphic Design⁠ Lisa Penz (@li.penz ), David Gallo (@d____gallo )⁠ ⁠ The exhibition is the MAK’s contribution to the 2026 Klima Biennale Wien (@biennale.wien ).⁠ Brute Force was produced at @design_investigations , University of Applied Arts Vienna. ⁠ ――――⁠ ⁠ ⁠1-6 MAK Exhibition View, 2026, FELIX LENZ: Soft Image, Brittle Grounds⁠ MAK Gallery © kunst-dokumentation.com/MAK

Join us 23.10, 16:00 @austrianfilmmuseum for the second screening of Brute Force at @viennale_official ! <3 — Research, Direction & Editing: @_lenzflare Co-direction & Sound: @ganael_gana Produced by: @_lenzflare at @design_investigations Cinematography: Stella-Joya Puellacher, @jaakkotaavila , @heuwiese_ Voice-over spoken by: @audioslut_garden Text: @laura_stoeckler & @_lenzflare 
Inspired by conversations with: Karen Barad, Vladan Joler, Diego P. Fernandez Music: @fabianlanzmaier & @ganael_gana Additional Sound Design: @i.lake.wav V.O. Recording: @nori_uzumaki Mix: Bernhard Zorzi / @blautoene.studio Bird sculpture: @chinatownlucy & @neo_angien Model: Isabel Prade @isaprae & @_lenzflare Color Grading: @fatihoeger / @colorwise_post VfX: @lenkall Graphic design: @manulndr Additional research & consultation: @aainud Special Thanks: @v_forsten , @mathis.mathis.mathis , @maxscheidl Produced with the support of: @kunstkulturministerium , @orfdrei , Land Tirol, @bildrecht_bildraum , @hufak.angewandte , @dieangewandte 
Distributed by: @lemonade_films Supported by: @eizo.dach

Brute Fore will have its Austrian premiere at @viennale_official ! <3 . Heartfelt thanks to all the wonderful friends and collaborators who made this film possible — and to @design_investigations for the years of support, and @lemonade_films for the international distribution and making this premiere a reality. . Join us for one of the screenings: 20.10.25 – 12:30 at Metro Kino 23.10.25 – 16:00 at Filmmuseum . Brute Force (30min, 2025) explores how our image- and knowledge-making practices affect the world. From the interference patterns of neutrons to data centres and salt lakes, the film captures how our world collides with the simplified rationalities of the digital age. . Research, Direction & Editing: @_lenzflare Co-direction & Sound: @ganael_gana Produced by: @_lenzflare at @design_investigations . Cinematography: Stella-Joya Puellacher, @jaakkotaavila Voice-over spoken by: @audioslut_garden Text: @laura_stoeckler & @_lenzflare 
Inspired by conversations with: Karen Barad, Vladan Joler, Diego P. Fernandez Music: @fabianlanzmaier & @ganael_gana Additional Sound Design: @i.lake.wav V.O. Recording: @nori_uzumaki Mix: Bernhard Zorzi / @blautoene.studio Bird sculpture: @chinatownlucy & @neo_angien Model: Isabel Prade @isaprae & @_lenzflare Color Grading: @fatihoeger / @colorwise_post VfX: @lenkall Graphic design: @manulndr Additional research & consultation: @aainud Special Thanks: @v_forsten , @mathis.mathis.mathis , @maxscheidl . Produced with the support of: @kunstkulturministerium , @orfdrei , Land Tirol, Bildrecht, @hufak.angewandte , @dieangewandte Supported by: @eizo.dach

BRUTE FORCE [30min, 2025] explores how our knowledge-making practices affect the world. Drawing insights from quantum theory and geology, the film exposes the intrinsic omissions, distortions, and ecological impacts of data extraction. From the interference patterns of neutrons to data centres and salt lakes, BRUTE FORCE captures how our world’s complexity collides with the simplified rationalities of our digital age. Inspired by Conversations with Karen Barad, Vladan Joler, Diego Fernandez Now on view @triennalemilano the film is part of the mixed-media installation “Soft Image, Brittle Grounds”, by Felix Lenz, commissioned by Lilli Hollein / @mak_vienna and curated by @marlieswirth Credits: Research, Direction & Editing: @_lenzflare Co-direction & Sound: @ganael_gana Voice: Day-Eve Komet @audioslut_garden Cinematography: Stella-Joya Puellacher, @jaakkotaavila Text: @laura_stoeckler & @_lenzflare Music: @fabianlanzmaier & @ganael_gana Additional Sound Design: @i.lake.wav V.O. Recording: @nori_uzumaki Mix: Bernhard Zorzi / @blautoene.studio Bird scultpure @chinatownlucy & @neo_angien Model Isabel Prade & @_lenzflare Color Grading @fatihoeger VfX @lenkall Title & credit design: Manu sophie Linder Research Assistance @aainud Produced by: @_lenzflare at @design_investigations

Excited to see three years of research, production, and filming come to life with the debut of Soft Image, Brittle Grounds—the official Austrian contribution to the 24th Triennale Milano International Exhibition. 
Open from 13.5.2025 – 9.11.2025 @triennalemilano Thank you to all the colleagues, friends, and collaborators who made this possible! .
In an era where digital systems govern economies, ecologies, and social structures, the mixed-media installation Soft Image, Brittle Grounds, commissioned by the MAK, critically explores the entanglements of technology, ecology, power, and inequality. Departing from his essay film Brute Force [Exhibition Cut] (2025) and expanding on it in the 3-channel video installation Valley of the Heart’s Delight (2025), research-led artist and filmmaker Felix Lenz investigates the material and political implications of technology and knowledge extractivism, capturing how our world’s complexity collides with the simplified rationalities of the digital age. . Soft Image, Brittle Grounds Artistic concept and realization⁠: Felix Lenz⁠ Commissioner⁠: Lilli Hollein, @lillihollein , @mak_vienna Curator:⁠ Marlies Wirth, @marlieswirth Producer: Mario Kojetinsky @makspion 
⁠Funding:⁠ Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport of the Republic of Austria⁠
⁠Cooperation partner⁠: @dieangewandte ⁠ graphic design: Lisa Penz, @li.penz & David Gallo @d____gallo 
. Brute Force, 2025 Concept, research & direction: Felix Lenz  Co-direction & sound: Ganaël Dumreicher @ganael_gana who was part of this long journey from early on Thank you @anabjain & the entire DI team for the long & heartfelt support during the production of this work as part of my graduation @design_investigations . . Valley of the Heart’s Delight, 2025 Consultant: Gregg Castro, T’rowt’raahl Salinan / Rumsen & Ramaytush Ohlone Cinematography: Jaakko Taavila @jaakkotaavila , 1st AC: Julian Giacomuzzi @juliangiacomuzzi Production & research assistance: Miriam Daxl @miriam.daxl , Leo Mühlfeld @leo.muehlfeld colour grading: Fatih Öger @fatihoeger Supported by: CMOCOS Camera Motion Control System / Andreas Margreiter . images © Federico Floriani/MAK @florianifederico

Breaking a system through pure computational power "Felix Lenz was my student at Design Investigations, graduating in 2024 with his diploma project “Brute Force“, a thought-provoking essay film. His work masterfully captures how our world’s complexity collides with the simplified rationalities of our digital age, bringing planetary-scale thinking alongside deep rigour to both his research methodology and filmic outcomes." Anab Jain @design_investigations @anabjain Find the full interview with Felix Lenz via the link in bio. “Brut Force“ is part of Felix Lenz‘ mixed-media installation “Soft Image, Brittle Grounds“, the official Austrian contribution to the 24th Triennale Milano International Exhibition “Inequalities”. Commissioned by Lilli Hollein / @mak_vienna and curated by Marlies Wirth @marlieswirth , cooperation partner University of Applied Arts Vienna @dieangewandte . Brut Force, 2025 Research, Direction & Editing: Felix Lenz @_lenzflare Co-direction & Sound: Ganaël Dumreicher @ganael_gana Produced by: Felix Lenz at Design Investigations . Cinematography: Stella-Joya Puellacher, Jaakko Taavila @jaakkotaavila Voice-over spoken by: Day Eve Komet @audioslut_garden Text: Laura Stöckler @laura_stoeckler & Felix Lenz Music: Fabian Lanzmaier @fabianlanzmaier & Ganaël Dumreicher Additional Sound Design: Lisa-Maria Hollaus @i.lake.wav V.O. Recording: Noé Reichert @nori_uzumaki Mix: Bernhard Zorzi @blautoene.studio Bird sculpture: Lucy Li @chinatownlucy & Angela Neubauer @neo_angien Model: Isabel Prade @isaprae & Felix Lenz Color Grading: Fatih Öger @fatihoeger VfX: Lena Kalleitner @lenkall Title & credit design: Manu-Sophie Linder @manulndr Additional research & consultation: Dunia Sahir @aainud produced with the support of: BMKOES, ORFIII, Land Tirol, Bildrecht, HUFAK, Die Angewandte — Videointerview Interview: Jonathan Hörnig Video: David Avazzadeh

Mailand: Ab morgen, 13.05., findet die 24. Internationale Ausstellung der @triennalemilano statt. ⁠Für das Thema "Inequalities" stellt der Künstler und Filmemacher Felix Lenz, beauftragt vom @mak_vienna , den Österreich-Beitrag.⁠ ⁠ Lenz' interdisziplinäres Projekt trägt den Namen "Soft Image, Brittle Grounds" und beschäftigt sich mit sozialen und ökologischen Konsequenzen globaler Technologien und ihrer Infrastruktur. Am Beispiel des schwindenden Ufers des Great Salt Lake in Utah, USA, zeigt der Künstler, wie Datenextraktion und Wissensproduktion die Landschaft unseres Planeten nachhaltig verändern.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ •⁠ Fotos:⁠ 1-7. Felix Lenz, Soft Image, Brittle Grounds / Brute Force [Exhibition Cut], 2025, © Felix Lenz ⁠ 8. Installationsansicht des österreichischen Beitrags Soft Image, Brittle Grounds zur 24. Internationalen Ausstellung der Triennale Milano, Felix Lenz beauftragt vom MAK Wien, © Federico Floriani/MAK Brute Force entstand in Co-Regie mit @ganael_gana und wurde produziert von Felix Lenz bei @design_investigations .

SOFT IMAGE, BRITTLE GROUNDS Austria at the 24th Triennale Milano International Exhibition “Inequalities” 13.5.2025—9.11.2025 Triennale di Milano, Milan, Italy @triennalemilano Taking his 30-minute essay film Brute Force [Exhibition Cut] (2025) as the point of departure and expanding into the newly developed three-channel video installation Valley of the Heart’s Delight (2025) Felix Lenz investigates the material and political implications of technology and knowledge extractivism, capturing how our world’s complexity collides with the simplified rationalities of the digital age. While technological infrastructures promise seamless efficiency, their premises rest on the silent erosion of the landscapes, histories and communities that bear its consequences. Soft Image, Brittle Grounds challenges the illusion of equity in technological progress, urging us to see not only what is shown, but what is lost in the telling. ___ A project by Felix Lenz, commissioned by the MAK – Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna @mak_vienna Commissioner Lilli Hollein, General Director and Artistic Director, MAK @lillihollein Curator Marlies Wirth, Curator, Digital Culture and Design Collection, MAK @marlieswirth Artistic concept and realization Felix Lenz @_lenzflare Exhibition management Mario Kojetinsky @makspion Graphic design Lisa Penz, David Gallo @li.penz @d____gallo Governmental funding Federal Ministry for Housing, Arts, Culture, Media and Sport of the Republic of Austria Cooperation partner University of Applied Arts, Vienna @dieangewandte Kindly supported by 4YOUREYE projektionsdesign & -technik gmbh Austrian Cultural Forum Milan

@triennalemilano 2025: Mit Soft Image, Brittle Grounds vertritt der Künstler und Filmemacher Felix Lenz @_lenzflare Österreich⁠ ⁠ Der vom MAK beauftragte und vom Bundesministerium für Kunst, Kultur, Öffentlichen Dienst und Sport (BMKÖS) geförderte Österreich-Beitrag wirft einen kritischen Blick auf die unsichtbaren Infrastrukturen digitaler Technologien und deren ökologische wie gesellschaftliche Auswirkungen. Felix Lenz nimmt die Betrachter*innen mit auf eine visuelle und klangliche Reise durch die vielschichtigen Verflechtungen von Technologie, Ökologie, Macht und Ungleichheit.⁠ ⁠ 24. Internationalen Ausstellung der Triennale Milano ⁠ Viale Emilio Alemagna 6, 20121 Mailand, Italien⁠ 13.5.– 9. 11.2025⁠ ⁠ // ⁠ ⁠ @triennalemilano 2025: With Soft Image, Brittle Grounds, artist and filmmaker Felix Lenz @_lenzflare represents Austria⁠ ⁠ Commissioned by the MAK – Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna, and funded by the Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport, Austria’s contribution critically examines the hidden infrastructures of digital technologies and their ecological and social impacts. Lenz takes viewers on a visual and sonic journey through the intricate entanglements of technology, ecology, power, and inequality.⁠ ⁠ 24th International Exhibition of the Triennale Milano ⁠ Viale Emilio Alemagna 6, 20121 Milan, Italy⁠ 13.5.– 9. 11.2025 ⁠ ⁠ // ⁠ ⁠ Commissioner⁠ Lilli Hollein, General Director and Artistic Director, MAK⁠ ⁠ Curator⁠ Marlies Wirth @marlieswirth , Curator, Digital Culture and Design Collection, MAK⁠ ⁠ Artistic concept and realization⁠ Felix Lenz⁠ ⁠ Funding⁠ Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport of the Republic of Austria⁠ ⁠ Cooperation partner⁠ University of Applied Arts, Vienna @dieangewandte ⁠ ⁠ Produced by @_lenzflare at @design_investigations Kindly supported by⁠ 4YOUREYE projektionsdesign & -technik gmbh⁠ Austrian Cultural Forum Milan⁠ ⁠ // ⁠ ⁠ #TriennaleMilano #Milano #Milan #24thInternationalExhibition #Inequalities⁠

When I first considered inviting Felix to take part in Discrete Life of the Infrathin, I was thought how different his practice could be seen in this particular context. On the surface research-driven, ordered and explicitly articulate the practice appears to be defined by bold edges sharpened by the demands of the scientific paradigm. But underneath it all, his work is beautifully fluid, haunted by apparitions, echoes and residues of various interwoven presences - heroes, villains and collaborators, organic and artificial, human and beyond, living and nonliving. At closer look, an intricately layered image emerges, punctuated by immeasurable spaces of “in-between”, gaps where hard edges prove to be not as hard and impossible to question as we like to think of them. The practice is at its core of liminal nature where sharp edges of objects become blurred, frazzled, boundaries separating things become increasingly porous and collaborators expand beyond human and in fact, beyond living. Felix Lenz, Sophie Falkeis, Ula Reutina, Carmen Farr, Restitution of A Glacier, 2018, installation view, London Design Biennale 2018, Felix Lenz, Angela Neubauer, Eszter Zwickl, The Cleanroom Paradox, 2021, film stills, Photos: Felix Lenz @discretelifeofinfrathin @_lenzflare