INTERVIEW Feyrouz Nouri
PUBLISHED 03.FEB 2025
Artist Zeineb Kaabi explores the paradox of humanity’s relationship with energy—our drive for progress versus its environmental cost. Her work, ENERGY IN TIME, presented at LICHTROUTEN, recontextualizes archival footage to challenge our perception of industrialization and sustainability. In this interview, she discusses their inspirations, creative process, and the role of light and media in environmental discourse.
// What first sparked your interest in exploring humanity’s relationship with energy?
My artistic practice has consistently engaged with ecological issues, examining both current climate realities and potential future scenarios. I believe art serves as a powerful tool for advocacy and resistance, offering new perspectives on environmental challenges. What fascinates me is humanity’s paradoxical relationship with energy – our insatiable demand for production despite its environmental impact. The way we exploit natural resources, whether through ‘eco-friendly’ methods or not, always leaves an imprint on our environment. This tension between human progress and environmental preservation drives my work.
// What is interesting about joining a light and media art project in Ludenscheid?
The festival’s curatorial vision and philosophical approach deeply resonated with me. I appreciated how the theme allowed for broad artistic interpretation while maintaining a cohesive focus. The way the festival utilizes urban spaces aligns perfectly with both my artistic ideology and the themes I explore in my work. The inclusive nature of the festival particularly appealed to me, as it encourages diverse perspectives on contemporary issues.
// Why did you agree to join this year’s LICHTROUTEN edition?
I was drawn to this opportunity to explore humanity’s egocentric relationship with production and consumption through an artistic lens. While challenging, this platform offers a unique chance to address these critical issues. The caliber of selected artists is impressive, and I’m honored to present my work alongside such talented individuals.
// Can you walk us through your creative process for this piece, from initial ideas to the concept to the final execution?
ENERGY IN TIME examines humanity’s mechanical evolution and our endless pursuit of energy. The piece juxtaposes historical commercial footage glorifying industrial progress with archival documentation of its environmental consequences. I deliberately collected advertisements that promoted unnecessary consumption and contrasted them with footage of environmental degradation. By layering these archives with local historical material, I aimed to create an ironic commentary on our complex relationship with production and energy consumption.
// How does this work relate to or depart from your broader artistic practice?
Archives represent an invaluable repository of documentation and information that perfectly aligns with my research-based artistic practice. They serve as powerful historical witnesses, representing rich layers of context and meaning that can be transformed into contemporary narratives. Within the process of the examination and recontextualization of archival materials, I create works that bridge past and present, as a way to challenge and to discover new perspectives on current issues.
// How do you approach creating art for public spaces? What unique challenges and opportunities does this present?
Working in public spaces deeply resonates with my artistic philosophy as it breaks down the exclusivity often associated with traditional art venues. These spaces naturally foster a meaningful dialogue between the artwork, the community, and local history. Creating art for public spaces requires a nuanced understanding of context – each location carries its own narrative, memory, and significance. I find this particularly challenging yet rewarding, as it demands that artists respect and respond to these existing layers of meaning while introducing new perspectives. The public setting transforms the artwork into a shared experience, making it accessible to diverse audiences who might not typically engage with art in conventional gallery settings. This democratization of art, combined with the need to honor the space’s historical and social fabric, creates a unique creative challenge that continually enriches my practice.
// How does your artistic practice engage with light and media as mediums? What drew you to work with these elements?
Light media exists in a fascinating duality – both challenging and limitless in its creative potential. What draws me to this medium is its unique ability to be simultaneously ephemeral and enduring, creating moments of fleeting beauty while leaving lasting impressions. Throughout history, light has held a special place in human consciousness, not just as a physical phenomenon but as a symbol of life and enlightenment. In my practice, I embrace this rich heritage while exploring how modern technology transforms our relationship with light. The medium allows me to merge this timeless fascination with contemporary digital possibilities, creating works that speak to both our ancestral connection to light and our modern technological understanding. The way light media can shape perception and create immersive experiences offers endless opportunities for artistic expression, making it an ideal medium for exploring complex themes and narratives.
// What technologies are you employing in this work? How do they contribute to your artistic vision?
While this artwork appears technically simpler in its execution, its complexity lies in the depth of research and archival exploration required. It represents a deliberate shift from my usual data-driven methodology, where I typically focus on numerical representation and data manipulation. For this piece, I found that the ironic juxtaposition of historical imagery created a more provocative and critical narrative about our relationship with energy and production. By layering contrasting archival materials – from glorified industrial propaganda to stark environmental consequences – the work achieves an intentional irony that speaks volumes where numbers alone would fall short. This approach revealed how visual irony can serve as a powerful tool for social commentary, allowing the imagery to both document and critique our complex relationship with energy consumption and its consequences. The tension between promotional historical footage and environmental reality creates a compelling dialogue that challenges viewers to confront these contradictions.
// Looking ahead, how do you see light and media art evolving in response to our changing world? What future directions excite you in this field?
Looking ahead, I envision light and media art evolving alongside our growing environmental consciousness. As technology advances, I’m particularly excited about the potential for more sustainable and energy-efficient light art installations that challenge our relationship with energy consumption. The intersection of traditional light art with emerging technologies like AI and renewable energy sources opens up fascinating possibilities for creating works that are both environmentally responsible and conceptually powerful. Interactive and responsive light installations that directly engage with environmental data and climate patterns particularly intrigue me as a future direction.
// How do you hope viewers will interact with or experience your work? What do you want them to take away from it?
For viewer interaction, I hope my work provokes a moment of reflection about our complex relationship with energy and production. When people experience “ENERGY IN TIME,” I want them to recognize the irony in our historical approach to industrial progress and its environmental impact. The juxtaposition of archival footage should create a space for critical thinking about our past choices and future possibilities. Rather than merely presenting a critique, I aim to spark conversations about sustainable alternatives and our collective responsibility toward environmental stewardship.
// Are there any other artists or works in this year’s festival program that particularly resonate with you?
I would like to see Eliska Kovacikova’s work I think It’s interesting to see the interpretation of the open call and how she dealt with the theme and how it will look in a public space.
// Do you have any recommendations for the audience?
As for all the works in the festival, I believe it would be more interesting for visitors to discover and form their own connections with the various installations. Each piece in the festival offers a unique perspective on our relationship with light and energy, and I encourage viewers to explore them all with an open mind.