Lene Vollhardt (*NYC, USA) is a German-American-Polish artist and facilitator based in London, UK.
Their works have been presented internationally, including at 13th Sharjah Film Forum; Royal Academy of Art London; Serpentine Arts Futures & RadicalxChange, Kunstraum Kreuzberg; Athens Digital Arts Festival, ConTempo Festival Kaunas. Their writing has been published in Arts of The Working Class; Munitionsfabrik; Kunstverein Munchen; Outland; and Royal Academy of Arts Magazine. They have received the Scholarships of Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg, the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes, and Chisenhale Dance Space. They received the Fokus Award of Nikolaj Kunsthal Copenhagen, and HongKong Art House Award.
Their practice navigates the tensions between gestures of dissimulation and systems of control—whether through language, jurisdiction, or social norms. Vollhardt's work interrogates the performative structures imposed by these systems, seeking alternative modalities of sensing, co-owning, and in particular to tactics of self-rule that evade prescriptive frameworks.
Trained in Moving Image (HFG Karlsruhe) and Dance (as a teenager), they decided in 2016 to dedicate their outputs to creating games of collective divination, often in connection with what they call “Embodied Mechanisms”. This decision has led to collaboration with decentralized autonomous organizations such as Economic Space Agency (2018) and The Sphere DAO (which they currently co-direct, alongside Erik Bordeleau and Pedro Brandao). Within these frameworks, they have developed cryptoeconomic and off-chain protocols that choreograph collective experiments in rethinking value, often realized through live-action role-playing (LARPs), rule sets, and games. Post-pandemic, Vollhardt has returned to video and choreography, delving into collective divination practices connected to disability, Germanic mythology, and grief rituals. Their work is deeply informed by their experience living with dissociative (identity disorder, which propels their investigation into decentralized systems, madness, consumerism, and the subversion of subjectivity. As they articulate, "re-negotiating the 'I' as a dead metaphor for our failed universality is urgent."
Contact
CV
Lene Vollhardt
*White Plains, New York (Turtle Island/USA)
lives and works between London and Cologne
Education
Postgraduate Diploma, 2018 - 2022, Royal Academy of Art Schools, London
Diploma Media Art, 2012 - 2016, University of Arts and Design, Karlsruhe
Curatorial Analysis and Practice, 2012, UvA Amsterdam, Erasmus Scholarship
Guest Lectures
Central School of Speech and Drama, London
Westminster University, London
Schuhmacher College of Art, Devon
University of Art, Mainz
Affiliations
Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes (Alumni), Germany
The Sphere DAO
Chisenhale Dance Space (Activator), UK
Na'Amod, UK
Stitching Share Network Amsterdam
FAK (feministischer Arbeitskreis / Karlsruhe) 2012-2016
Awards, Recognitions, Residencies, Grants
2024 Beyond Cultures of Ownership project grant, Serpentine Arts Technologies, London
2024 Scholarship, RadicalxChange, Oakland
2024 DanceWeb residency, Impulstanz Vienna, Goethe Institute, EU
2024 Greenhouse Residency, Chisenhale Dance Space, London
2023 Dooyewaard Stichting, Residency, Blaricum, NL, 2023
2023 Field of Study Residency at Mirror institute, Smaland Triennalen, Sweden
2023 Film Commission, The Sphere, EU Creative Europe
2022 Dunoyere de Segnozac Travel Award, London
2020 Edna-Rose-Weiss Award, London
2018 - 2022 Wingate Foundation study-grant, London
2017 Fellowship, Kunststiftung Baden-Wuerttemberg
2017 Winner, Hong Kong Art house Film Award, HK
2016 ZKM Prize Shortlist, Karlsruhe, GER
2016 Project-grant of Riemschneider Stiftung
2016 Project-grant by cultural trustboard of EU-Project Parallax
2015 Winner, Fokus Art-Film Award, Nikolaj Kunsthal, Copenhagen
2013 - 2016 Full-study-grant of Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes
2014 Film Commission, 22. European Days of Culture
2013 Project-grant of ZKM | Museum of Contemporary art Karlsruhe for FAK collective (feministischer Arbeitskreis)
2013 DAAD Erasmus Scholarship at UvA Amsterdam
Selected Shows, Lectures, Talks, Screenings, Live Performances
Hyperarcusis, Chisenhale Dance Space, London, September 2024
(forthcoming) Proof-of-Celebration, Outersphere Show, Karmetplace, 2024
Not Your Body (the accountants), Field Of Study Publication, 2024
What & How We Own: The Politics of Change | Radical x Change, Oakland
You're Always Already Stealing, Arts of the Working Class, 2024
The Sphere DAO, Outland, 2024
Drama Oversharing Group, Workshop, Chisenhale Dance Space, London, 2023
Somatic Solidarity, Workshop, Chisenhale Dance Space, London, 2023
Zones of Consensus, Live Performance, Field of Study/Mirror Institute, Sweden, 2023
After the datafication of flesh. The Sphere x 2033, Contempo Festival, Kaunas, Lithuania, 2022
Class of 2022 Royal Academy of Arts, London (UK) 2022
Art Exhibition Reviews, experimental publication, supported by Kunstverein Munchen, 2022
Doubles, performance in Jacob Peter Kovner's Film, 2021
Stampede, Royal Academy Schools London, 2021
Premiums, Royal Academy of Art London, 2020
Sharjah Film Forum, Sharjah Art Foundation, Arabic Emirates, 2019
Landgrab, Sadie Coles HQ Shop, London, 2019
Every Muscle, Every Bone, BarBarbette, Berlin (GER), 2018
Moving Bodies (European Days of Culture), Karlsruhe (GER), 2018
Eminent Domain, Ex-Robert Miller Gallery, New York (US), 2018
Her stories, her bodies, Athens Queer Museum (GR), 2018
And so the internet spoke, though shalt make yourself an image, Haus 10, Feldfuerstenbrueck (GER) 2018
Hong Kong Arthouse Film Festival (HK), 2017
Toronto Arthouse Film Festival (as part of Toronto Filmweek) (CA), 2017
(Non) - Available Bodies, solo show at Art Foundation Baden-Würrtemberg, 2017
Athens Digital Arts Festival, ADAF Postfuture (GR), 2017
Proposition for a work space, OrgaOrga, Mainz (DE), 2017
Priestress, The Living Gallery, New York (USA), 2017
Wanderschaft, Schauburg Karlsruhe (GER), 2017
Transcreen Festival Amsterdam (NL), 2017
Installation and audio piece as part of Bless No. 56: Workers Delight, Vitra Museum Weil am Rhein / Basel (CH), 2016
Grace Chapters, solo show at University of Art Karlsruhe, 2016
Fokus 16, Nikolaj Kunsthal Kopenhagen (DK) 2016
Recreational Guide for Workers, ZKM Karlsruhe (performance for ZKM Shortlist) 2016
Congress of Possibilities, Kunstraum Bethanien, Berlin (DE), 2015
Be careful what you wish for, solo show at UNG~5, Cologne (DE), 2015
Strange Fruit Video Festival, Lethabel Gallery, London (GB), 2015
Fokus 15, Nikolaj Kunsthal Kopenhagen (DK), 2015
Reading in Figments of highest impersonality, Das Gift, Berlin (DE), 2015
Women in War, Exhibition and Short Symposium (initiated), European Days of Culture
Deferred Action, solo show at One Night Only Gallery Zürich (CH), 2013
2013 The Institute, Dau Project, Kharkov Ukraine (residency with DOP Jürgen Jürges)
Performing the Image (curated by Isaac Julien), Loop Art Fair, Barcelona, (ES), 2013
Selected publications & writing
(forthcoming) Not Your Body (the accountants), Field Of Study Publication, 2024
You're Always Already Stealing, Arts of the Working Class, 2024
The Sphere DAO, Outland, 2024
Art Exhibition Reviews 2022, organizer & editor, supported by Kunstverein Muenchen, 2022
Reverberating interferences, published by monika jaeckel, 2021
This Thing we call Art, by Kelly Lloyd, 2021
Gyrating Sand – On Kobo Abe, Royal Academy of Art Magazine, 2020
Permeable Subjects, with Chris Kraus, Arts of the Working Class, 2019
Blockchain was born in a milieu that was already colonized, with Laura Lotti Black Swan DAO, Arts of the Working Class, 2019
Virtual neighbors, with Luce de Lire, Arts of the Working Class, 2019
L´ ancient regime strikes back, Luce deLire, E-Flux, 2018
Und also sprach das Internet, Süddeutsche Zeitung, 2018
Macht, Räume und ihre Akteure, KubaParis, Muriel Meyer, 2018
13th Athens Digital Arts Festival, Postfuture, Exhibition Catalogue, 2018
Wem gehört der Körper? Author Nikolaj Forstbauer, Stuttgarter Zeitung, 2017
Spaces, Deutscher Kunstverlag, Editor Maria Gärtner, 2016
Fokus Special Edition Magazine, Nikolaj Kunsthal, Copenhaven (DK), 2018
Jennifer, Author Daniela Müller, Ansel Verlag Zürich, 2016,
Perforation of the Self. Munitionsfabrik: FeministischesArbeitsKollektiv (Hrsg.), 2015
Sasha Waltz & Friends: Objekte Installationen Performances, 2015
“Identität und Massenmedien sind Zwillinge”, Selbstdarstellungssucht.de, Veronika Draexler, 2015
Goethe Institut Denmark Culture Calender, 2015
Fokus 2015, Badischer Staatsanzeiger (11.02.2015)
Memoires Perdues, Europäische Kulturtage Karlsruhe, 2014
Loop Art Fair, exhibition catalogue, Barcelona, 2013
Parallax - New Forms of immersive Media - Author: Ludger Pfanz, hrsg. Ciant, Praha, 2012
Selected talks & workshops
Embodied Mechanisms Workshop, Torino, Programmed by Cordata F.O.R + Maison De Jonglages, Italy, 2023
'Of the Spheres. Artful asset formation, ecologies, technologies programme, Schuhmacher College, Dartington UK, 2023
Air is a storage Medium, experimental dramaturgy, CCSD (Central School of Speech and Drama), London UK, 2022, '
Drawing machines' workshop, Royal Academy of Art (RAttract Program), London UK, 2022
'Will you ever fckn transcend', choreography workshop, Westminster College, London, UK, 2021
The Sphere. Towards new ecologies of funding in the Arts', Money lab institute of network cultures, Amsterdam NL, 2021
Performative contracts, The Sphere (Metagallery), 2021
Non-Available bodies with FAK, talk at TOYTOYTOY, Kunstakademie Mainz, GER, 2018
Non-Available bodies, Kunststiftung Baden-Wuerttemberg, 2017, talk
Vague Wars, Triple I, Rome (IT), 2016
Vague Wars, (lecture performance of Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes), Palazzo Rizzi, Montepulciano (IT), 2014
Memoires Perdues, Prinz-Max-Palais, European Days of Culture Karlsruhe, 2014
Vague Wars, Memoires Perdues: Gender und Krieg, European Days of Culture Organiser of symposium and exhibition 2013
Ja, Aber - Frauenperspektiven, Orgelfabrik Durlach (GEDOK), 2013
Postcolonial perspectives on law and sex trafficking (co-organizer), a discussion with FAK and Roella Lievelt of Share Network Amsterdam, 2013
Spirit education / performance / dance
Seki-Method butoh teacher training by Minako Seki, 2022 – 2023, Berlin & London
Plantally plant spirit eduction by Andy Orchard, 2019 – 2023
Yawanawa sacred medicine retreat, 2019, Acre, Brazil
Dancer/performer for Carlos Atabey Romero, I feel so mezzaziney, London Contemporary Music Festival, Muy Serio, Selfridges London, 2019
Theta Healing Practitioner Dig Deeper (2018), Advanced DNA 3 (2018)
Theta Healing Practitioner Advanced DNA (2016)
Systemtic constellation work training with Pamela Hankel, Berlin (2015 - 2016)
Dancer/performer for Sasha Waltz, Performances, Objects, Installations ZKM, Karlsruhe 2014 - 2015
Dancer/performer for Liz Magic Laser, Research and Reporting, Badischer Kunstverein, Karlsruhe and KW Contemporary, Berlin 2014 - 2015
Performer for Alexandra Pirici, Fluids, Neue Nationalgalerie, 2015
Performer for Christian Falsnaes (A Good Reason Is One That Looks Like One, Globale, Karlsruhe, ZKM), 2016
Theta Healing Practitioner Basic DNA (2014)
Aura Empowerment Reiki Practicioner (2008)
Spine Alignment Reiki Practictioner (2007)
Angel Aura Clearing System Practitioner (2007)
Angel Karma Clearing System Practitioner (2007)
Angel Chakra Clearing System Practitioner (2007)