As implied by its title, the conceptual foundation of the exhibition “THERE MUST BE A CONNECTION BETWEEN PRODUCTION AND WAR”, lies in the seminal series Auge/ Maschine (2001–2003) by Harun Farocki (b. 1944 – d. 2014). Starting point for Farocki’s video installation was the new kind of imagery of war that he observed during the Gulf War of the 1990s, heavily infl uenced by the then new military drone technology, as well as cockpit and missile views.

He identified two key aspects still relevant today: the nature of Operational Images – machine-made visuals created for military or surveillance purposes, oftentimes data-heavy and incomprehensible to the untrained eye – and the labour underpinning these technologies. His assertion, “THERE MUST BE A CONNECTION BETWEEN PRODUCTION AND WAR,” highlights the industrial detachment that enables humans to develop and deploy military drones capable of causing harm. Though created over two decades ago, Farocki’s works resonate with today’s omnipresence of machine-generated images. This exhibition aims to “update” Auge/Maschine by juxtaposing Farocki’s analysis with contemporary perspectives through two artists whose works address Operational Images or labour in the context of drone warfare.

The Ukrainian artist Violetta Oliinyk (b. 1995) examines labour through her personal and political experience. Trained in jewelry, object-making, and performance art, Oliinyk’s practice shifted dramatically following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022. Repurposing her technical skills, she began assembling FPV (First-Person View) drones for Ukrainian defense forces— using components purchased online for €300–600. This process highlights a complex interplay between industrial production and manual assembly, where artisanal labour produces instruments of war. Oliinyk’s contribution includes her 2018 diploma work, an homage to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beloved children’s book Le petit prince, as well as two recent works infl uenced by her drone building experience, Milidrone and Millmobille. Displayed alongside actual FPV drone parts, this arrangement emphasizes the materiality of war production and the return of manual labour in high-tech warfare.

Within the exhibition a series of works by the award winning documentary photographer Johanna Maria Fritz (b. 1994) addresses the evolution of Operational Images. Known for her daring coverage in confl ict zones, over the past three years Fritz has chronicled both the Ukrainian frontlines and the lives of the civilian population in a country at war. Her onsite practice enabled her to capture unprecedented imagery of contemporary drone warfare. This exhibition will be the fi rst to present her photographs of weaponized FPV drones, their operators, and aerial perspectives captured during missions.

To further engage visitors, FPV goggles will be available, allowing visitors to experience fi rst-person footage of drone vision. Unlike the abstract, data-heavy images Farocki critiqued two decades prior, these user-friendly visuals raise urgent questions about the shifting aesthetics and ethics of machine-made images. How does this evolution – from abstract Operational Images to explicit HD drone footage – alter our understanding of warfare and its visual representation?

Together, these works create a conclusive narrative that connects the production and utilization of drones, refl ecting on the labour behind the technology and the visual culture surrounding modern warfare. This exhibition invites critical refl ection on how increasing accessibility of drone technology and imagery aff ects public perception and detachment from violence.

Though unforeseen at the time of the making, Oliinyk’s homage to Saint-Exupéry foreshadowed a striking parallel: Similar to the author almost a century prior, the artist found herself in a tragic situation. Her home was under attack and foreign occupation was - and is still today - a very real threat. Like the author, who died fi ghting for the French resistance against German occupation in the 2nd World War, Oliinyk also decided to mobilize everything she could in defense of her home – starting with auctioning her art pieces for fundraisers and donations, learning how to build and supply drones and eventually joining the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) herself.

Therefore, we ask anyone who can to support Violetta Oliinyk with donations for her, her family and the Ukrainian defense forces. Contact us for more details or directly support the artist via Violetta Oliinyk’s Paypal: fl otilia.my@gmail.com or her fundraiser for necessary car repairs and similar infrastructure and services of the AFU at: https://send.monobank.ua/jar/2a4hH689vY

This exhibition was made possible with the generous support of the Kemmler Foundation, Antje Ehmann, Violetta Oliinyk, Simon Melchers of ARTCO Gallery, Johanna Maria Fritz, Eidotech GmbH and Sammlung Hoff mann/the Hoff mann Family. We are very grateful and deeply moved by the many individual eff orts and supporters who off ered their time, sweat and expertise to realize this exhibition.