Hanz Koontz
Koontz’s practice investigates the manipulation of social and historical perception through digitally constructed imagery. His work examines how governments, media institutions, and systems of communication collectively shape the human condition by influencing political consciousness, social behaviour, and public understanding of historical events. The artist argues that these structures contribute to socio-
Central to Koontz’s practice is the questioning of ownership and authority over visual material that functions as commercial or political propaganda. Through the appropriation and reinterpretation of historical and contemporary imagery, the artist constructs digital pastiches that destabilise the assumed authenticity of visual narratives. By recontextualising imagery associated with conflict, power, and mediated history, the works challenge the reliability of officially presented sequences of events and expose the potential for manipulation embedded within visual culture.
Koontz frequently focuses on inaccessible or restricted environments, including conflict zones and areas shaped by war or political instability. He argues that physical inaccessibility, combined with institutional ownership of imagery and information, creates conditions in which narratives can be controlled, altered, or strategically framed. Within this context, the absence of direct public access becomes a mechanism through which misinformation and ideological influence can proliferate.
The artist employs a digital visual technology more commonly associated with decorative or secondary functions: the computer screensaver. By utilising a relatively inexpensive and widely accessible software format, Koontz intentionally positions his work within forms of media often considered temporary, disposable, or culturally insignificant. Existing as computer-
Koontz developed this format over several years, arguing that accessibility and mass distribution are essential to the social function of his practice. As the artist states, “I need my art to be accessible to a wide audience; social consciousness is at the core of my practice, and online distribution of art and information has a greater reach.” Initially, the works were distributed through online file-