Uncanny Shifts 2026: Optician Shop Turned Art Space
Uncanny Shifts exhibition in Dortmund, Germany, features works by Ellinor Aurora Aasgaard and Zayne Armstrong from Aug 22 to Oct 4, 2026.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- A former optician shop in Germany is transformed into a factory-gym art installation.
- Created by artistic duo Ellinor Aurora Aasgaard and Zayne Armstrong.
- Part of the Uncanny Shifts exhibition running from August 22 to October 4, 2026.
- Features a 30-minute animated film satirizing bio-tracking technology and smart devices.
The interior of a former optician's shop located on Hansastraße in Dortmund has been converted into a hybrid gym-factory art installation. Conceived by artists Ellinor Aurora Aasgaard and Zayne Armstrong, the project is part of the Uncanny Shifts exhibition, curated by Britta Peters and Alisha Raissa Danscher, which explores the surreal juxtaposition of contemporary life and historical elements.
The design of the space draws heavy inspiration from a collection of historically diverse paintings, ranging from works by Simon Marmion in 1459 and Piero del Pollaiuolo in 1480 to Caspar David Friedrich in 1822. These temporal references mirror the strange reality of modern Europe, where metro lines run underneath sixteenth-century castles and tech startups occupy heritage gallery buildings.
Transforming abandoned retail spaces into immersive art installations is a growing trend in European urban curation, encouraging audiences to rethink everyday architecture. By satirizing bio-tracking technology, the artists tap into contemporary anxieties regarding surveillance capitalism, data privacy, and society's over-reliance on wearable health gadgets.
The central pillar uniting the various elements of the exhibition is a 30-minute animated film. The narrative follows a purple-haired protagonist named Charli, styled in bright orange 5th Element-esque suspenders, as she investigates a mysterious and gory malfunction involving a FitWatch device, uncovering corporate hypocrisy surrounding health tracking tech.
Alongside the film screening, inflatable sculptures twist and whip through the interior spaces of the installation, adding a kinetic and whimsical layer to the exhibition. Visitors can experience the showcase at the former optician shop at Hansastraße 26-28, Dortmund, Germany, through October 4, 2026.
Source: designboom
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