Uli Stern is a light artist working with light painting, projection and video art. He is best known for painting with light on skin in long-exposure portraits that create unreal-looking images.
His “skinlight” pictures are often disturbing yet beautiful. The technique gives viewers the feeling of looking through skin at what lies hidden beneath.
Another focus of his work is dance and the visualization of movement. In the “Occupation Dance” series, a naked dancer is frozen mid-jump while the whole movement is traced by the light she holds in her hands. His dance film “Moiré – Where Two Patterns Meet” takes this further: two masked dancers wear nothing but moiré patterns of projected light.
At his live light painting performances, the photographs are projected onto a screen as they are captured, so the audience can watch the art being made. His projections have been used in film and at play parties, where guests are invited to play with and inside the light.
Uli Stern is a sex-positive light artist based in Germany. He explores different forms of interactive media art and lectures, curates exhibitions, and organizes and takes part in festivals. In 2025 he was the featured artist of Allianz at Art Düsseldorf.
Interactive Performances:
- Xplore Berlin (2015)
- Ecstatic Dance Festival Ibiza (2015)
- Sub Rosa Dictum Boundcon (2015/16)
- Fusion Festival (2015/16/18)
- In Touch Barcelona (2016)
- Kinky Salon Berlin (2016)
- Liebeskunstfestival (2017/18)
- Touch & Play Germany (2021/24)
- Schwelle Wien Retreat (2021)
- Wonne Wien (2021)
- Nowhere (2023/4/5)
- Zürich Decom (2023/4)
- Kiezburn (2023/26)
- Knotty Rope Jam (2024/25)
- Hamburn (2024)
- Art Düsseldorf (2025)
- Nektar Festival (2026)
- Mega Konk Sicily (2026)