°ABOUT

Welcome. I am Michael Saup.

“R111 could be considered the pinnacle of
media art at the turn of the millennium.”

Yukiko Shikata, President of International Association of Art Critics Japan, 2024

“Sometimes, it felt like the inner workings of the universe made visible. It revolved slowly, then grew in complexity until it seemed, in substance if not style, like a collaboration between da Vinci, Picasso and Stephen Hawking.”

Evening Post, New Zealand, 1998

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minimalcarbon | 2022/23

Addressing the Digital Power Consumption Crisis

minimal carbon has been selected 2023 by Pioneer, a startup accelerator dedicated to fostering creative and ambitious innovators representing a collective valuation exceeding $1 billion. Backed by Stripe and Marc Andreessen, Pioneer employs an advanced AI-driven process, scraping 100 million domains weekly and narrowing down the top 0.002% [1:50,000] for human evaluation—ultimately identifying minimal carbon as one of its standout innovations.

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ORBIS LUMEN | 2017-2019

The Light of the World – The Sugarcoat of Nuclear War

A world map built from white sugar cubes serves as a global canvas documenting the chronological history of nuclear detonations. This work provokes profound reactions and reflections on our technological advancements, their consequences and the impending threat of nuclear warfare and omnicide, the annihilation of all life forms, including humanity.
 

Nuclear Zen | 2017

documentary film about the Fukushima nuclear crisis
with Keibo Oiwa, Japanese author, activist & philosopher
20 min

“Finding a positive thing in a very negative picture is the most difficult, most challenging type of criticism.” Keibo Oiwa

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VOR SONNEN-AUFGANG | LAIBACH | 2017

before the nuclear sunrise: the abyss of light
a short reminder by Michael and Laibach

“Their magnum opus. It is spectacular and sublime.”

The Quietus

“Ohne Musik wäre das Leben ein Irrtum | Without music, life would be a mistake”

Friedrich Nietzsche
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AVATAR | 2010

Saup, on the other hand, with his monumental sculpture “Avatar Incarnation cRdxXPV9GNQ” depicts the daily consumption of energy by the seemingly clean Internet so strikingly and impressively “that it will blow every visitor away and is guaranteed to make them think.”

Donaukurier
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infossil – AD VITAM | 2002

A Conversation between Peter Weibel and Michael Saup, Karlsruhe, 2002

“When people disappear, new systems and ideas can emerge. But i’m not fighting for death, i’m trying to limit it: we humans participate in this evolution for such a short time that we can’t even observe it. there’s a huge play being played on stage and we don’t see any of it. That’s why I would like us to be able to extend this tiny window, these eighty years, a little. So that I can understand a little more of this play.”

Peter Weibel, Karlsruhe, 2002

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Hyena Days | 1992

In 1992, Hyena Days debuted at Ars Electronica. The project featured a remarkable collaboration between Icelandic video art pioneer Steina Vasulka and German media artist Michael Saup, who initiated and directed the work. Steina Vasulka, co-founder of The Kitchen and a leading figure in experimental video, brought her unique approach to live image manipulation. Connecting […]

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Quote

This dream is for you
So pay the price
Make one dream come true
You only live twice

–John Barry / Leslie Bricusse (1967)
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