Leander Herzog, Heatsink, WUF, Solo Press Showcase, Basel

“Heatsink” by Leander Herzog, solo press showcase curated by Fakewhale, at WUF Basel, Bar Rouge, 11/06/2024 – 12/06/2024.

On June 11-12, WUF Basel 2024 presented “Heatsink,” a solo press showcase by Swiss visual artist Leander Herzog curated by Fakewhale. 

Born in 1984, Herzog has pioneered generative digital abstractions since he first embraced web-based art in 2006. His work, which has been exhibited at prestigious venues like Transmediale Berlin and Kunsthaus Pasquart, interrogates how digital realms influence ownership and perception. Notably, his pieces are part of esteemed collections at institutions such as ZKM Karlsruhe and HEK Basel.

This solo press showcase featured “Heatsink,” an evolution of his earlier work “DOM1.” Heatsink is a realtime animation, built with javascript and WebGL. It explores ratios, rhythm and repetition as compositional method. Here, Herzog skillfully marries the minimalist principles inspired by icons like Donald Judd and Mies van der Rohe with modern vitality.

Initially unveiled in Berlin at AGH1 in December 2023, and subsequently featured in Dubai at the Foundry event, “Heatsink” exemplifies Herzog’s capacity to bridge cultural and technological divides, emphasizing the adaptability and evolution of his works across different cultural contexts.

Particularly in Dubai, the installation underscored the transformative nature of Herzog’s art. It revealed how generative art, with its sophisticated coding and dynamic frameworks, challenges our perceptions of space and time. Each iteration of the installation acts as a live demonstration of art in flux, offering viewers a new experience with each viewing— underscoring the inherent unpredictability and depth of digital art.