The Collaboratory

Complementing the museum’s four traditional venues—Franz von Lenbach‘s historical villa, the extension building, the garden and the Kunstbau, the Collaboratory is Lenbachhaus’s new fifth venue. The Collaboratory invites visitors to explore the potentials of participation and interaction, art and education, communication and collaboration in a virtual museum space. The concept of a collaborative laboratory refers to Lenbachhaus’s interest in collective artistic practices and group dynamics. These topics are also discussed in the current exhibition project Group Dynamics—The Blue Rider and Collectives of the Modernist Period.

All technologies involved in the Collaboratory are based on open-source applications, combining elements from online multiplayer games, a 3D universe, real-time interaction, and physics simulation software with a backend content management system for an experimental online meeting place. As an experiment in technology, it exploits the possibilities of software libraries and the capabilities of today’s web browsers to create a user experience that is as intuitive and playful as it is spellbinding.

The Collaboratory is a prototype that is being further developed throughout the year 2022. The following modules are currently online in the Collaboratory.

The Open Stage is a community space where performances, screenings, lectures, and discussion forums take place. Unlike in a movie theater or lecture hall, the users enter the stage to choose their own seats. Using the chat function, they can exchange observations and ask questions. The Open Stage also features a video archive. Laden 2021 lets users upload pictures of their funny, weird, interesting, beloved, hated, beautiful, ugly, extraordinary, useful, or useless everyday objects, contributing to a collective portrait of contemporary society. This module is inspired by the artist Hans-Peter Feldmann’s installation Laden 1975–2015 in Lenbachhaus’s collection. The Digizine invites groups as well as individuals to create together digital zines addressing topics such as community, collaboration, and group dynamics. Drawing on a limited selection of visual elements (headline, text, illustration), participants can learn basic principles of graphic design and experience a collaborative editing process. Digital Crèmbach was developed by Kollektiv Crèmbach, the Lenbachhaus’s youth committee as a peer-to-peer format for young publics. The small, playful applications reflect how we interact with each other in everyday life—online or offline. The module Re:framing is a text adventure (text-based game) on the art work “Türkisches Café” (Turkish Café) by August Macke. It represents a possible critical and playful approach to works in the museum‘s collection. Users can share their opinions with the community via social media posts.

The Collaboratory is designed for optimum user experience on a desktop computer. However, the Open Space can also be accessed on mobile devices. In keeping with the project’s accessible and low-threshold design, no login is required to enter the Collaboratory. The software is built to collect as little personally identifiable information about users as possible.

Collaboratory team and main collaborators:
Afrodeutsch Zine, Sara Al-Afifi, Clara Laila Abid Alsstar, Aida Bakhtiari, Juness Beshir, Stephanie Marie Cedeño, Charlotte Coosemans, DAF (Dynamische Akustische Forschung), Zina Ghannadan, Jonas Till Hoffmann, Martina Höfflin, Kollektiv Crèmbach, Mouse on Mars, Klaus Neuburg, Paul Niedermayer, Tilman Reiff, Tim Rodenbröker, Simon Roth, Tanja Schomaker, Diana Schuster, Anna Schübel, Jacqueline Seeliger, Vera Tollmann, Laura Wünsche

The Collaboratory was developed as part of the German Federal Cultural Foundation’s “dive in: Programme for Digital Interactions,” with funding support from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM)’s program NEUSTART KULTUR.