Ungeheuer at Luna Nights in Leeuwarden

Ungeheuer was shown at Luna Nights in Leeuwarden from 30.1. to 15.2.2026. The work itself is inspired by Goya’s drawing “The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters,” from his series of aquatint etchings, Los Caprichos. Visuals by Hartung | Trenz. Sound by Seppo Gründler.
Image by Hartung | Trenz

It is based on its initial presentation at Klanglicht Graz 2024 and has been modified for Luna Nights, a light art festival in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. The original German-language version has been translated into English, and the animation has been adapted to fit the rear façade of the town hall. A bespoke soundtrack for the video was produced by sound artist Seppo Gründler, building upon the soundscape created for the original presentation at the Joanneum in Graz and adapted for an English-speaking context.

“A Spanish work of art served as the inspiration for Detlef Hartung and Georg Trenz’s installation, Ungeheuer (‘Monsters’). They posed the question: Is it the presence or the absence of our reason that gives rise to monsters? Using light and typography, the artists engaged with the architecture of the Joanneum Quarter in Graz, opening up imaginary windows for the audience to look through. The associative mental space created by the two artists invited reflection on the ambiguity of statements. Equally rich in contrast were the ‘sound islands’—auditory elements with which sound and media artist Seppo Gründler accompanied the project.”

Courtesy of Birgit Lill