Carsten Höller is not an ordinary artist. With a background in phytopathology, the study of plant diseases, he brings a scientific precision to his art - creating immersive, experimental works that challenge perception, interaction, and the boundaries of art itself.

In this artist talk, co-presented by ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ and Fondation Beyeler, Höller reflects on his lifelong fascination with both science and art, a duality that has shaped his career. His transition from scientist to artist was not a straightforward shift but an ongoing dialogue between the two disciplines. He argues that while science is built on repeatability and logic, art thrives on singularity and subjectivity. This tension fuels much of his work, from playful installations to profound conceptual projects.

It's just that I've always had two hearts beating in my chest at the same time… The scientist sees the world in a certain way and the artist sees it in a different way.

Höller’s art is deeply rooted in experimentation. In conversation with Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of The Serpentine and dear friend to the artist, he recalls one of his most intriguing endeavors - The ‘Baudouin Experiment’. This project saw participants spend 24 long and empty hours inside the Atomium, and landmark modernist building in Brussels. Another standout project, ‘Dream Hotel Number One’, invited visitors to sleep in a robotic bed designed to influence their dreams, blending art with neuroscience.

It was like a journey where you look out of the window and the only thing you see is that time changes…it was impressive to travel through time with the others in these 24 hours.

Throughout his career, Höller has explored the power of play, perception, and participation. His Double Club installations divided spaces into contrasting cultural aesthetics, questioning identity and duality. His Brutalist Kitchen restaurant in Stockholm redefines culinary art by focusing on pure, unadulterated ingredients. Even his architectural projects such as ‘Frisbee House’ have challenged conventional design by integrating play and fluidity.

Until the asparagus season, there is a kind of craving for asparagus, which creates a build-up. In other words, I realized that I didn't like it. I really want my asparagus because I haven't had it for so long.

For Höller, art is not about providing answers but about generating questions, doubts, and alternative ways of seeing the world. His work invites us to step beyond the familiar, into the realm of the unexpected, where science and art collide, and to become part of the experiment.

This talk was part of the Artist Talks series, co-presented by ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ and Fondation Beyeler.

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