U5

U5 is an arts collective that is opposed to traditional notions of individual authorship. U5 actively pursues historical and contemporary approaches to research in art, especially approaches that transcend disciplines, or produce other forms of art and knowledge.

The collective U5 first formed at Zürich University of the Arts in 2007 before graduating as a group in 2011. The working method depends on unanimous founding principles:

• All members have equal rights, but consensus is not necessary.
• All works are created in cooperation.
• Presence and absence influence the work equally.

Work originates from a fascination for materials of all kinds, especially everyday materials and utensils made of plastic. The accumulation of digital and analogue materials is an important component of the artistic approach, both a ballast and a trove at the same time.

Since the collective‘s foundation, all work processes have been documented and archived in real time with the help of a self-developed live camera (PALM). The handling of this absurd amount of material and data forms the basis of production.

Since 2011 the collective’s studio in an industrial building on the edge of Zurich gained additional significance as an event space, as a permanently transforming, semi-public place. During four years the «Automatenbar» took place every Tuesday: a live format for music, performance, screenings and discussions.

The studio is a production site for objects, costumes, films, installations and performances that oscillate between natural, artificial, fictitious and virtual. They are combined with sound, dance, food and drinks, scent, fog and light and then assembled into immersive installations in the exhibition space. Such exhibitions are not a final product, but iterations for further productions. They are possibility-spaces in which something can happen that is not-thought-through precisely, but which can provoke reactions and actions.

TRUST

artist book / monograph

a publication by Helene Romakin & U5
contributions by Nina Zschocke, Christian Egger, Helene Romakin
graphic design by Karin Holzfeind

CHF 50 / Please order "TRUST" via email (u5@92u.ch)

CV

• since 2021 Artistic research, SNF project ‹Conflict and Cooperation. Episteme and methods between art history, art and ethnology in the performative pictorial practices of Vodun›, University of Zurich, Art History Department, Prof. Dr. Bärbel Küster
• 2015-2018 Artistic Research, ‹17 Volcanoes› project with Prof. Dr. Ursprung and Prof. Dr. Alexander Lehnerer, Future Cities Laboratory, Singapore ETH Center, Singapore
• 2009-2011 Master of Arts in Fine Arts, Zurich University of the Arts
• 2006-2009 Bachelor of Arts (Media Arts), Zurich University of the Arts
• 2007 foundation of U5

Grants, Awards, Residencies

• 2021 Werkbeitrag, Stadt Zürich
• 2020 Werkbeitrag, Kanton Zürich
• 2020 Publikationsbeiträge: Stadt Zürich, Kanton Zürich, Pro Helvetia, ETH
• 2019 Digital Arts Residency San Francisco, Stadt Zürich
• 2018 Digitale Kultur, Werkbeiträge Migros-Kulturprozent
• 2017 Residency at NUS Museum Singapore
• 2015-18 Residency at Future Cities Laboratory Singapore
• 2013 Kiefer Hablitzel Award

Selected Group Exhibitions

2021

• Helmhaus, Werk- und Atelierstipendien, Zürich, Switzerland

2020

• Werkschau, Haus Konstruktiv, Zürich

2019

• Sharjah Architecture Triennial, «Rights of Future Generations», Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
• Bone Festival 2019, Schlachthaus Theater, Bern, Switzerland

2018

• Kunstmuseum St. Gallen, «Heimspiel», St. Gallen, Switzerland
• Kunstmuseum Bern, «RÉPUBLIQUE GÉNIALE», Bern, Switzerland
• Swiss Art Awards, Basel, Switzerland

2017

• NUS Museum, «17 Volcanoes», Singapore
• Princeton School of Architecture Gallery, «17 Volcanoes», New Jersey, USA

2016

• Helmhaus, «Hinter jedem Berg steht noch ein Berg - Eine Begegnung von Gegenwartskunst aus China und der Schweiz», Zurich, Switzerland
• gta exhibitions - ETH Zurich, «17 Volcanoes - Figures in the Landscape of Java», Zurich, Switzerland

2015

• Reale Osservatorio Vesuviano, «The Walk», Naples, Italy
• Centre d'Art Contemporain / Project Space, «protein fix», Geneva, Switzerland

2014

• BolteLang Gallery, «Tell Me What I See, When I Look Into Your Eyes», Zürich, Switzerland
• La Rada, «The Chase», Locarno, Switzerland

2013

• Le Commun - Centre d'Art Contemporain, MOINS 30 IX, JEUNE ART SUISSE 2013, Geneva, Switzerland
• Swiss Art Awards 2013, Kiefer Hablitzel Award, Messezentrum Basel, Switzerland
• Helmhaus, Werk- und Atelierstipendien, Zürich, Switzerland

2012

• Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen, "Heimspiel 2012", St. Gallen, Switzerland
• Kunsthaus Glarus, "Fokus: Claudio Zopfi featuring U5 Kollektiv + Suleika de Vries", Glarus, Switzerland
• Werkbeiträge Bildende Kunst Kanton Zürich,"Werkschau 2012", Zürich, Switzerland

2011

• Sammlung Prinzhorn, Jubiläumsausstellung, "Von Kirchner bis heute", Heidelberg, Germany
• Helmhaus, Werk- und Atelierstipendien, Zürich, Switzerland
• Rote Fabrik/Shedhalle, Master Fine Arts Degree Show, Zürich, Switzerland

2010

• Kunsthaus Zürich, Kunsthausnacht, "Kitsch + Kunst", Zürich, Switzerland
• Art Dubai, Bidoun Projects, "A New Formalism", Dubai, UAE
• Venice Architecture Biennale, German Pavilion: "Sehnsucht", sound installation (commission work), Venice, Italy

2009

• Shift Electronic Art Festival, "Magic", Basel, Switzerland
• Bachelordiplomausstellung, Zürich, Switzerland

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2019

• Kunstraum Aarau, «360° Daily Routines», Aarau, Switzerland

2018

• Galerie DuflonRacz, «Are you with me?», Bern, Switzerland

2017

• Kunstverein Bochum, Haus Kemnade, «Waves», Germany
• NUS Museum, «The Fiery One - Merapi», Singapore
• NUS Museum, «The White Crater - Kawah Putih», Singapore
• NUS Museum, «The Drum Mountain - Galunggung», Singapore

2016

• Urgent Paradise, «Domestic Haze», Lausanne, Switzerland
• blossom, «BLEACH», Zürich, Switzerland
• Plateau, «Domestic Haze», Singapore

2015

• Plateau, «32° of inverted routines», Singapore
• Kunst 15 Zürich, Advancement Booth, Zürich, Switzerland
• Duflon + Racz Gallery, «TRACER», Bern, Switzerland

2014

• Kunstmuseum Thun, «Parasite», Thun, Switzerland
• Kunsthalle Arbon, «YOUNGLAND EVERFAST», Arbon, Switzerland
• Kunst 14 Zürich, Advancement Booth, Zürich, Switzerland

2013

• Raum No 10, "DESERT FOR REAL - DANGER IN EVERY DROP", Bern, Switzerland

Teaching

• 2018 Teaching experiment: Seminar "live", Project PALM, Institute for the History and Theory of Architecture, Prof. P. Ursprung, ETH Zurich
• 2017 Performance Seminar Week "Europa", Institute for the History and Theory of Architecture, Prof. P. Ursprung, ETH Zurich
• 2016 Project "Raspberry Pi" and Mentoring, F+F School of Art and Design Zurich

Collections

• 2018 «Tracer» videokunst.ch
• 2015 «Crystals» Kanton Zürich
• 2015 «The Chase» Schweizerische Post
• 2014 «Weltmodell» Kunstmuseum Thun
• 2013/14 «Netz»/«Lampe»Pfyl Stiftung

Talks & Screenings

• 2020 Screening «Double Bind»: Videoex Festival, Zürich
• 2019 Screening «The Human Crater»: The Laundry, San Francisco
• 2019 Transmediale, Berlin, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Artist Talk: «HI meets AI: «Der UngenauBot» von Bircher/Hurkxkens und «PALM» vom U5 Kollektiv»
• 2018 F+F guest_*talks, Artist Talk & Performance: «Bleach»
• 2018 Screening «Halfway Demolition», La Biennale di Venezia, Central Pavilion, Unless Ever People - Caritas for Freespace, Architecten de Vylder Vinck Taillieu
• 2018 Screening «The Human Crater»: -Engadin Art Talks, Zuoz, -Kino Rex, Bern, -Helmhaus, Zürich
• 2017 Screening «The Human Crater»: -Kortum Gesellschaft, Bochum, -Filmpodium Zürich
• 2017 Screening «tracer», videokunst.ch, Bern

Publications

• Patrycja Wojciechowska, 2020: U5, in OnCurating,Issue 48, Zurich Issue: Dark Matter, Grey Zones, Red Light and Bling Bling, Ronald Kolb and Dorothee Richter (Eds.) URL: https://www.on-curating.org/issue-48-reader/u5.html#.X2oDXC35zOQ

• Tini Aliman, Florian Dombois, Fabian Gutscher, Kaspar König, Luke Martin, Vivian Wang, 2020: Sound Kite Orchestra, Los Angeles: Dinzu Artifacts [music cassette and download, cover design].

• Lara, Adriana, 2019: Pazmaker 14. [fanzine].

• Bühler, Kathleen, Sarah Merten, 2018: République Géniale, [online publication]. URL: https://www.republiquegeniale.ch

• Romakin, Helene, Artfridge, 2018: Interview U5 [online publication]. URL: http://www.artfridge.de/2018/08/interview-u5.html

• Perrez, Sidd, Adrianne Joergensen, 2018: 17 Volcanoes, Singapore: NUS Museum, National University of Singapore.

• Schindhelm, Michael, Damian Christinger (ed.), 2018: Happy Tropics No.1. Zürich: ZhdK, Connecting Spaces #10.

• Manuel # 4, 2016: Parade [fanzine]. URL: http://manuelpublication.com/numero_parade.html

• Hirsch, Helen (Hrsg.), Barbara Berger, 2014: U5 Parasite. Nürnberg: Verlag für Moderne Kunst Nürnberg.

• Kaeser, Oliver, Jean-Paul Felley, (ed.) 2013: U5. In: «Unter 30 IX. Junge Schweizer Kunst. Kiefer Hablitzel Preis 2013», Nürnberg: Verlag für Moderne Kunst Nürnberg.

• Luchsinger, Katrin, 2012: U5 Kollektiv: Quadrabble. In: «ungesehen und unerhört, Künstler reagieren auf die Sammlung Prinzhorn», Ingrid von Beyme, Thomas Röske (ed.), Heidelberg: Sammlung Prinzhorn Wunderhorn.

• Bech, Laetitia Lanvin, Samson Guyomard, 2014: Infinite Circles. [fanzine]

• Kahn, Hassan, 2010: A new Formalism. In: «Art Dubai 17-20 March 2010», Dubai: Art Dubai

• Näd Mika, 2010: Liebling Bang Bang, [CD coverdesign]

• Self-organized Bachelordiplomausstellung, 2010: Güterbahnhof Zürich, Self-published