Intro
FAUSTAkademie Hallein 2025Residency at Schmiede Hallein
The Akademie Hallein is a “think island” and playground for interdisciplinary thinking for future, innovations and society. We connect people and generate innovations, ideas and impulses. In this multimedia report you will find out more about the idea behind the Akademie Hallein and get to know the Artists in Residence of 2025!
FAUSTAkademieAIR 2025
In September 2025 the AkademieAIR happened for the eighth time. Three artists are invited to get inspired, to initiate their thoughts and ideas. The goal being to produce a contribution to the YslandBook. The YslandBook is a collaborative writing/creation process. The AkademieAIR happens parallel to Schmiede Hallein. Please click on the photos to go to the respective chapter or simply keep scrolling to get to know all the artists at this year's Akademie Hallein.
Kristina Gorke
Artist portraitKristina Gorke
Kristina Gorke is a classical singer and performance artist. She leads the art association Accomplices, which is dedicated to making so-called “serious content” – such as philosophy or classical music – accessible to a broad audience. In her work, she combines artistic practice with a strong commitment to mediation, creating formats that make complex ideas tangible through direct and sensory experiences.
Accomplices - Verein zur Erkundung multimedialer Ausdrucksformen
Accomplices - Verein zur Erkundung multimedialer Ausdrucksformen
Kristina's approach
Kristina Gorke has been an integral part of Schmiede for many years, shaping the media festival in a variety of ways. Whether as a co-creator of LABs, an initiator of communal singing, or through her own artistic practice, she bridges classical vocal training with performative experimentation, opening up new connections between voice, space, and audience.
Erkennen der inneren UnruheThe project
"Meine Ruh ist hin, mein Herz ist schwer, ich finde, ich finde sie nimmer und nimmer mehr." Writings of the past – including J. W. v. Goethe, Wilhelm Müller, and Friedrich Rückert – resonate with contemporary voices such as Bettina Landl and Franziska Ostermann. Emerging from corners and niches of the Saline, their words unfold within the space. Ultimately, these literary encounters – combined with her own reflections on experiences during Schmiede – converge in the publication “Faust,” bringing poetry from past and present into a shared, multi-voiced dialogue.
The residency
For Kristina Gorke, Schmiede is a central fixture of her year. In the interview, she speaks about what she values in this unique setting.
Roger Pibernat
Artist portraitRoger Pibernat
Roger Pibernat is an artist from Barcelona. He works as an illustrator, animator, and live coder, and is a co-founder of several artistic collectives. His practice operates at the intersection of visual design, technology, and performance, continuously exploring new ways of combining digital and analog forms of expression.
https://www.rogerpibernat.com/
https://www.rogerpibernat.com/
Roger's approach
In recent years, Roger Pibernat has increasingly focused on the topic of artificial intelligence, particularly across different media. At Schmiede Hallein, the theme of Faust has provided an ideal point of departure to further develop and deepen this line of inquiry.
Faust et al.The project
At Schmiede, Roger worked on an illustrated book project titled “Faut et al.”, which explores the boundaries between reality and fiction. At its core are conversations with fictional characters from different versions of Faust – such as those by Marlowe or Goethe – staged using handcrafted AI methods. For this, Roger creates an alter ego that enters into dialogue with these figures, intertwining literary worlds, identities, and technologies.
The residency
What Roger Pibernat values about residencies in general is the opportunity to focus fully – and without guilt – on the kinds of work he would otherwise have to pursue in his spare time. At Schmiede in particular, he appreciates the unique atmosphere and open, productive vibe, as well as the chance to generate new ideas and meaningfully advance a project.
Matthias Gruber
Artist portraitMatthias Gruber
Matthias Gruber is a journalist and author based in Salzburg. He is a co-founder of the city magazine fraeuleinflora.at. In his artistic work, he writes novels, short stories, and essays, and regularly incorporates photography and video. His practice combines literary storytelling with documentary and visual forms.
https://www.matthias-gruber.at/
https://www.matthias-gruber.at/
Matthias' approach
In his artistic work, Matthias Gruber engages with socio-political and sociological questions. At its core is the relationship between the individual and society: how do larger structures shape personal experience? And how do processes of transformation and power inscribe themselves into everyday life? Often, it is the subtle and almost unnoticed shifts that influence the way we speak, think, and relate to one another.
Nun sag', wie hast du's mit der Moral?The project
From medicine to traffic to warfare: artificial intelligence is currently penetrating more and more areas of life. It drives cars, interprets medical data, and connects weapons systems. Yet one question is rarely addressed: what happens when machines are forced to make moral decisions? In his essay for the Ynselbuch, Matthias Gruber explores precisely this issue. Is there a need to equip artificial intelligence with moral guidelines—and if so, what might these look like?
The residency
In his everyday life, Matthias Gruber often experiences his work as solitary and somewhat isolating. All the more, he values the sense of being part of a collective artistic process at Schmiede. What stands out to him is the openness with which ideas can be explored and tested – a space where new thoughts are allowed to emerge and grow before being prematurely limited or constrained.
Partners
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Akademie Hallein 2025
AkademieAIR 2025
Kristina Gorke
Kristina's approach
The project
The residency
Roger Pibernat
Roger's approach
The project
The residency
Matthias Gruber
Matthias' approach
The project
The residency