Nomination
vanessaopoku.com/lighttouchroot
During a research residency with Künstlerische Tatsachen at the University of Ulm’s TRR234 CataLight, I explored molecular light-driven catalysis in soft matter systems. Using near-infrared LiDAR, I scanned so-called “invasive” plants, creating point clouds that reimagine their presence in a sci-fi-inspired world with two suns.
Photo: Vanessa Amoah Opoku
Photo: Vanessa Amoah Opoku
Photo: Fangsheng Chou, edited Kt Ulm
Photo: Fangsheng Chou, edited Kt Ulm
Photo: Fangsheng Chou, edited Kt Ulm
Photo: Fangsheng Chou, edited Kt Ulm
The scanner’s 800 nm light interacts with plant surfaces and possibly their biology, prompting questions about light’s impact on growth. Recontextualized in virtual space, these resilient species defy human-imposed categories. The point clouds absorb or reflect simulated IR light, revealing internal water and subsurface structures. 3D-printed wax-encaustic reliefs and UV photograms extend the work physically, inviting touch and tracing seasonal change. The project blurs boundaries between natural and artificial, challenging concepts of belonging, borders, and ecological perception in the age of mixed realities.
Credits
Artist: Vanessa Amoah Opoku
Scientific collaborators: Researchers from the University of Ulm and the CataLight Consortium:
Prof. Christine Kranz, Prof. Sven Rau, M. Sc. Alina Koba, Dipl. Biol. Stefan Brändel
Organizational Support: Künstlerische Tatsachen
With support from: CataLight Consortium (Funding), Künstlerische Tatsachen (Residency support),
University of Ulm (Research Facilities), Kunstverein Ulm (Exhibition space)
Biography
Vanessa Amoah Opoku (DE) is a German-Ghanaian artist exploring history, digitality, and marginalized narratives through mixed realities. She uses 3D scans, video, sculpture, and sound to challenge dominant futures. A member of the PARA collective and curator at Balance Club Culture Festival, she studied in Leipzig, Vienna, and Jerusalem. Her work has shown at EIGEN+ART Lab, Deichtorhallen, and Belvedere 21. She teaches and lectures widely and lives in Berlin.