Nina Hartmann’s work is probably post-meme and definitely post-gamebook.
Remember those exciting books where you could choose your destiny? Where if you chose option B you’d jump to page C, or if you chose option A, you’d turn the page and follow a calmer and more peaceful path? I think I read them until I turned fourteen. Fantasy felt so much more exciting than reality then. When looking at Hartmann’s sculptural paintings, some parts make me think about what future I might choose — a decision I might stick with for a couple of minutes. Somehow these minute decisions have become our modern goals. Sometimes the choice is visual, and sometimes it is literal; clearly both have a psychological component. In Orgone Accumulator (2024), a woman with redacted eyes sits in a metal-tight room, an orgone energy accumulator — a device that ostensibly collects orgone energy from the environment. The idea is to study orgone energy for medical application and to improve general health and vitality1. On each side of the work there is an option: SOMA, ENERGY, PSYCHE, or a digitally rendered path held in the palm of a hand — potentially an invitation to a happier existence.
Hartmann is more fascinated by subjectivity than such concepts as “truth” or “accuracy.” Her work evolves from her personal experiences around the shaping of belief systems through the acquisition of knowledge, while also aiming to reflect a shared zeitgeist or collective unconscious through universal symbols and motifs. She explores the power of belief and its influence on our individual realities, embracing the subversiveness of maintaining a vivid imagination. Some pieces exist in a realm akin to a fever dream or a mystical psychosis, tapping into a form of mythology or allegory that operates beyond logic, where hallucinations hold validity. She is drawn to ideas of magical thinking, phenomenology, and chaos magic, which Hugh Urban describes as “a postmodernist skepticism regarding the existence or knowability of objective truth.”2 The works of Austin Osman Spare and similar figures have significantly inspired Hartmann, and the idea that “nothing is true, everything is permitted” resonates. From this vantage, it is our subjective experiences that shapes reality, which itself is always open to collapse.
Given the information age we inhabit — often referred to as a “post-truth” era characterized by AI, deepfakes, and algorithms — the artist see her work as an investigation of the erosion of traditional notions of authorship and objectivity as they decline in real time. Recently, she has been viewing her work through an epistemological lens, scrutinizing the challenges surrounding knowledge production and how subjectivity, along with hidden agendas, has influenced the recording and interpretation of accepted histories. However, her work is not intended to be anthropological, based on case studies, or didactic. It is deeply rooted in her personal journey to make connections, all the while acknowledging her imperfections and never seeking to impose a singular truth.
Corresponding with Hartmann via email, I notice she deliberately capitalizes certain words, as if to invest them with or reflect their extra power: “Information,” “Systems,” “Lens.”
One of her recent works, Pink Networked Star (Mind Control / Psychokinesis Connection) (2024), draws from her ongoing exploration of concepts related to mind control and ESP, in particular US government initiatives aimed at exploiting supernatural abilities for military use. These includes efforts like using psychics for remote viewing and various mind control experiments.
The artist expresses fascination with very specific historical events, such as MK-ULTRA and Project Stargate, which seem almost too bizarre to be credible. These programs often blur the lines between conspiracy theories and reality, especially when information surfaces through the Freedom of Information Act or whistleblowers. Hartmann describes her work as an investigation into how information is shared by the authorities and systems that govern us. She views these revelations as “flickers in the matrix,” prompting us to reconsider the beliefs we have taken for granted and encouraging us to reassess our understanding of the world.
To study these challenging histories, Hartmann methodically probes both online and IRL spaces, digging into worlds and tales that have been mostly silenced. This is where her research becomes particularly exciting: she sifts through scientific literature, medical testimonies, and obscure documents that are hard to access, reviving them to create compelling new artworks that possess significant aesthetic appeal.
When the research gets even deeper, Hartmann sometimes finds it essential to take a step back or shift to lighter themes to ensure her work remains sustainable for her and accessible to audiences. Yet she often feels a natural attraction to darker subjects, which requires a delicate balance in her creative process — a balance most of us struggle with daily.
The aesthetics of propaganda and official government documents serve to turn more technical and schematic materials into art. By studying and integrating aspects of this visual language, she seeks to deconstruct and clarify concepts. Hartmann’s approach involves dismantling hierarchies by recontextualizing “official” materials, giving them new meaning and function.
One intriguing area of focus is US Army field manuals on topics related to propaganda and psychological operations. Here she uncovers and analyzes previously secret, now declassified principles, regulations, and instruction methods associated with indoctrination. For instance, she has recently begun to delve into Paul M. A. Linebarger’s book Psychological Warfare3, which presents a fascinating narrative about a US Army officer who collaborated with the CIA and later became a science fiction author.
I asked Hartmann if her upcoming work would address the US election, which will be determined before this issue is published, or any associated dark conspiracies. She emphasized that her work is inherently political and focuses on deciphering systems of power and control throughout history. As such, it will always touch on contemporary politics, even when referencing topics from the Cold War, because everything is interconnected. The propaganda and control methods that have been employed for centuries remain relevant, albeit in disguised forms. Therefore, her work can be viewed more as an exploration of systems theory rather than just a straightforward analysis of current events. For Hartmann, it is crucial to understand the historical context that has led to our present situation. Reflecting critically on events can often provide clarity, especially since we are constantly subjected to manipulation, making it overwhelming to grasp everything as it happens.
Recently Hartmann has been particularly intrigued by the US government’s efforts to exploit mysticism, mind control, and psychic abilities as tools for military operations. This fascination often intertwines with conspiratorial narratives connected to academic institutions, such as the infamous MK-ULTRA experiments at Harvard, where students were reportedly given LSD and subjected to controversial psychological testing.
Graduating from Yale, Hartmann began her research at the university’s archives, delving into the work of Dr. Jose Delgado, a neuropsychology professor known for his attempts to manipulate brain function through electrical stimulation. A demonstration in which he altered a bull’s behavior in a bullring in Spain remains a compelling example of the intersections between science, control, and ethics.
Another recent fascination for the artist is the study of sacred geometry, particularly the five Platonic solids4 and their appearances throughout art history. Last summer, she encountered Michelangelo’s “lantern polyhedron”5 at the Medici Chapel in Florence, and it left a profound impression on her due to its power. She is drawn to objects imbued with mystery or concealed knowledge and has an eagerness to unlock or interpret them. This includes ancient items rich with hidden significance, such as amulets, grimoires, codices, and reliquaries. She is continually exploring the stories behind these objects, their multiple meanings, and how she can incorporate this understanding into her artistic practice.
Some of the shapes of Nina Hartmann’s sculptural paintings are a direct translation of existing symbols or objects, but most of them are an amalgamation of absorbed content. In a sense, she tries to use her brain like an algorithm to create these forms. She intentionally takes in curated information to the point of slight exhaustion or disassociation, and then begins to draw or collage after absorbing the material.
In her daily practice, she shifts her study subjects across sources — kabbalistic diagrams, theories of social constructionism, presentations on effective infographic design. By identifying common threads across diverse subjects, she translates this synthesis through the filter of her subconscious, creating works that resonate with depth and complexity. The method somewhat resembles automatic drawing, yet it is imbued with a purposeful intention tied to contemporary information delivery through algorithms and AI-generated content. Hartmann navigates the delicate interplay of how much information to disclose within a piece, recognizing the power dynamics at play between herself and the viewer. She intentionally uses obfuscation as a tool, believing that ambiguity can foster personal interpretation and meaning.
In her work, Hartmann selects images that serve as modern icons or symbols, aiming to evoke universal mythologies and themes that resonate with viewers. Through this intricate alchemy of thought, exploration, and creation, she invites a deeper connection (and also reflection) to the complexities of her subjects and the narratives they embody.
