Hyperreaktiv - Annekathrin Kohout in conversation with Josée Hansen

"Like", "Share", "Comment", "Meme" – what appears to be casual interactions has long become part of an intense struggle for attention and meaning. In her new book Hyperreactiv, cultural scientist and author Annekathrin Kohout explores how these forms of digital reactions have become values of exchange in cultural, social, and political disputes. Through personal experiences, compelling case studies, and theoretical reflections, she clearly reveals how social media imitates analytical, forensic, and investigative methods to deliberately spread disinformation and fuel polarization. She also shows the responsibility each user carries in this process.

Artworks are always at stake in this culture of reactions: they are commented on, parodied, remixed, and memified – thus constantly questioned, evaluated, and recontextualized. But it is not only the concept of the work itself that has become fragile, but also that of authorship: once published, it escapes the control of its creators, is collectively rewritten, ironically distorted, or strategically reinterpreted. Reception is no longer a silent act but a public negotiation process in which meaning is never stable.

In the context of the exhibition of David Claerbout, whose works subtly challenge the experience of time, perception, and attention, the event invites reflection on alternative forms of contemplation, reaction, and responsibility in the digital age.

Annekathrin Kohout

Annekathrin Kohout is a freelance author and cultural scientist. She studied German philology, art history, media theory, philosophy, and photography in Dresden, Karlsruhe, and Leipzig. Until 2015, she worked at ZKM | Karlsruhe. From 2016 to 2022, she was a research associate at the Department of German Studies at the University of Siegen, where she completed her PhD in May 2021 on the nerd as a social figure. She is co-editor of the book series "Digitale Bildkulturen" at Klaus Wagenbach Verlag and the journal "POP. Kultur und Kritik." She is a member of the editorial board of the international "Journal of Global Pop Cultures," AICA (International Association of Art Critics), and the Goethe-Institut. As a non-fiction author, she has written books on network feminism, nerds, and K-pop. As a visiting professor and lecturer, she regularly teaches at various universities and colleges. Her latest book, "Hyperreaktiv. Wie in Sozialen Medien um Deutungsmacht gekämpft wird," was published in autumn 2025.

Josée Hansen

Josée Hansen is an author (Piccolo Teatro, Piccolo Mondo), art critic, and long-time journalist. After working for Lëtzebuerger Land and the Ministry of Culture, she is now the Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of Esch-sur-Alzette.

In German with a simultaneous translation in English | Free of charge | Booking required.