Martin HöferART IN, THROUGH AND WITH THE MEDIA
An Artistic Engagement with Intervention in the Context of Mass Media
Martin Höfer's dissertation examines the role of artistic interventions at the intersection of art, mass media, and sports. The aim is to develop new strategies for artistic practice and critically question societal structures and media mechanisms. Public space, increasingly shaped by mass media, is considered a central site of engagement. Competitive sports, which hold significant societal relevance due to media staging and commercialization, serve as a platform for artistic interventions. Höfer explores the interactions between art and sports to open new perspectives on the cultural and social dimensions of these fields.
The focus of the artistic intervention lies in examining the sports-cultural and aesthetic context, positioning it as a mass-media artwork at the intersections of the systems of ART, SPORTS, and MEDIA within the realm of contemporary competitive sports. The emphasis of the artistic practice is on an interactive intervention from the field of visual arts into the systems of SPORTS and MEDIA. Here, artistic intervention in sports expresses itself participatively and disruptively through the media.
A central aspect of the dissertation is the development of new conceptual tools to better understand artistic interventions. Höfer introduces seven types of interventions: participatory, disruptive, reflexive, parasitic, media-critical, sports-cultural, and systemic interventions. These categories differ in their approaches and effects. Participatory interventions actively involve the audience, while disruptive interventions deliberately disturb existing structures. Reflexive interventions encourage self-reflection, parasitic interventions critically utilize existing systems, and media-critical interventions question the mechanisms of mass media. Sports-cultural interventions engage with the cultural aspects of sports, while systemic interventions examine the interactions between societal systems. This typology enables precise analysis of artistic interventions and evaluation of their impact.
Höfer critiques that classical models of art theory often fall short in describing the dynamic processes of intervention and participation in an interdisciplinary context. These models are frequently limited to traditional artworks and museum settings, failing to account for the complex interactions between art, media, and sports. Höfer's research therefore integrates perspectives from sports science to illuminate the cultural and social dimensions of sports. Topics such as the commercialization of sports, the role of media, and the societal significance of performance and competition are critically reflected upon. Historical research on sports provides essential foundations for understanding the development of sports and its entanglement with other societal domains.
The findings of the dissertation are intended to be made visible not only theoretically but also practically. Höfer plans to present the insights in exhibitions and mass-media formats to raise public awareness of the complex relationships between art, media, and sports. Artistic autonomy plays a central role in this process, as it enables critical questioning of existing structures and the opening of new perspectives.
The interdisciplinary approach, which connects art, media studies, sports science, and sociology, is a central aspect of the work. It anchors the research in a broad societal and cultural context and develops innovative approaches for artistic practice. Höfer's work demonstrates how art can function as an interface between societal systems and what significance it holds for the reflection and transformation of these systems.
Supervision
Hubert Lobnig
Short Biography
Martin Höfer is a conceptual and media artist specializing in the intersections of art, mass media, and sports. In 2005, he began studying media art at the Academy of Fine Arts Leipzig, where he studied under Christin Lahr and later Günther Selichar in the class for Mass Media Research and Art in the Media Public Sphere. In 2013, he graduated with a diploma in Fine Arts with honors and distinction.
Since 2023, Höfer has been a doctoral candidate at the Institute for Art and Education at the University of Art and Design Linz, where he conducts research under Univ.-Prof. Mag.art. Hubert Lobnig. Since 2024, he has been a university assistant with a teaching assignment in artistic practice and a member of the PhD Research Collective at the University of Art and Design Linz. His research focuses on analyzing artistic interventions in the context of mass media and sports.
International residencies in Norway, Egypt, Jordan, Lithuania, and the United States have shaped Höfer's artistic development. Notably, his stays at the Bergen Academy of Art and Design, Helwan University Cairo, and Ohio State University Columbus broadened his perspective on the role of art in public space.
Höfer's artistic practice is interdisciplinary, combining art, media, and society. His works, such as Siegen on behalf of art and EISKANAL / Citius, Fortius, Altius.critically examine the mechanisms of mass media and sports culture. Through his interventions and performances, he aims to open new perspectives on societal structures and cultural practices.
