On the occasion of the artist Thomas Weil’s 80th birthday, Friedberg Castle presents the retrospective “Ornamental!” over a period of three months, from January 24 to April 26, 2026, offering a comprehensive view of his artistic practice.
In close collaboration with the artist, we conceived an immersive spatial installation that translated selected ornaments after digitalization into motion. The patterns were projected within a partially mirrored environment, where reflections across walls and floor generated the perception of an infinite, continuously transforming ornamental field. This spatial arrangement allowed the underlying structures and inherent logic of the works to unfold subtly over time.
The curated selection of artworks spanned a wide range of compositional systems — from linear grids and intricate interlocking hexagonal structures to free-flowing floral formations. As the organizational principles behind many of these patterns are not immediately visible, the animations introduced restrained visual interventions such as color modulation, blur, and transparency. These minimal shifts made principles like symmetry, repetition, and grid-based order perceptible in a playful yet intuitive way.
The hand-drawn originals served as the foundation, with their line quality, materiality, and small imperfections deliberately preserved by using a high resolution video projector. This approach created a harmonious interplay between analog craftsmanship and digital animation.
Created in in cooperation with Thomas Weil.
Created for Wittelsbacher Schloss Friedberg.
