Frictions: The Poetic Dance of Control, Vulnerability, and Resilience in Tobias Krämer’s Kinetic Sculptures

The power of Krämer’s works lies in their ability to render movement not merely a mechanical action but a poetic experience that challenges notions of control and adaptability. The motors, designed with engineering precision, attempt to impose a regular rhythm on the rubber, yet the material resists, defying complete domination. The result is a continuous interplay between the expected and the unexpected, between a machine executing a program and a material rebelling, introducing uncertainty. This dialogue manifests in surfaces that oscillate, stretch, and release, transforming each piece into a living entity, perpetually in flux.

The folds and deformations that emerge on the rubber’s surface evoke the human body, suggesting a visceral and tactile connection. The tensions created are reminiscent of skin under pressure or breath held in suspense, evoking a physicality that transcends the mere use of material. Krämer succeeds in conveying a profound sense of vulnerability and resilience, opening a dialogue about the relationship between the body and technology, between what can be controlled and what inevitably eludes control. The Frictions series also inhabits a conceptual space that extends beyond material exploration. These kinetic sculptures become an investigation into liminal conditions, moments of transition where opposites coexist: tension and release, resistance and adaptation, chaos and control. The inherent instability of the works invites the viewer to reflect on these dynamics not merely as physical phenomena but as metaphors for the human condition. The idea of an external force shaping and deforming, of a continuous negotiation between limits and possibilities, resonates deeply with our daily experience, where balance is often precarious and change inevitable.