(in)visible – Interview with Lena Schnurrbusch
Lena Schnurrbusch is a communication designer based in Bremen. She works at the intersection of visual communication, spatial staging and socially relevant issues.
Could you tell us what currently interests you most in your practice?
I’m interested in invisible conditions that are often connected to social issues. I use artistic approaches to make these conditions more tangible and accessible to experience. I’ve become also more interested in curatorial practices and exhibition design and how they influence the visitor experience.
What motivates you to work with social issues and invisible conditions?
Through my own experience that personal conditions and emotions cannot always be communicated verbally, I began turning to design as a means of expression. It is particularly important to me to draw attention to certain topics, contribute to public awareness and open up new perspectives.
Your projects often combine different media. Why do you think this helps to make a complex topics more accessible to an audience?
I explore the boundaries of design through multimedia and sensory-driven concepts, creating not only cognitive understanding but also a more physical and experiential form of access. The use of both analog and digital design methods makes it possible to translate complex conditions and experiences.
Many of your projects invite visitors to participate physically. What do you learn about people by watching them interact with your work?
I’ve noticed that people tend to spend more time with a work when they are invited to engage with it. Physical participation can create a stronger connection and make the experience more memorable. However, I don’t think a work should rely on interaction alone—it should stand on its own while offering participation as a way to deepen understanding and engagement.
Have you ever changed your own perspective while working on a project?
Yes, definitely. Many projects start from my own experiences and through conversations with others, I often discover perspectives I hadn’t considered before. That’s an important part of my process and helps me approach a topic more thoughtfully.
How do you decide where and for whom a project should be presented?
The works are conceived for public spaces, with accessibility kept as open and approachable as possible. Depending on the subject matter, the location varies according to the respective target audience.
When people leave one of your installations, what do you hope stays with them?
I hope visitors leave with a greater awareness of their surroundings and a new sensitivity toward issues that affect our society. If the work stays with them beyond the exhibition, then it has achieved something meaningful.
AUTHOR Hannah Köchy
PUBLISHED 5 JUN 26
FEATURED IMAGE Lena Schnurrbusch
