Rebecca Horner Becomes the Muse of Franz Josef Baur’s New Art Project «Liquid Presence»
An exploration of movement, shifting forms, and the beauty of constant transformation
German artist Franz Josef Baur has unveiled his latest art project, «Liquid Presence», created in collaboration with dancer Rebecca Horner, the Makeover Hamburg team, and photographer Jakob Kotzmuth. Blending art, fashion, and performance, the project explores movement, form, and the ever-changing nature of the human body.
At the heart of the project are unique garments composed of countless individual textile threads. Rather than enclosing the body or defining its shape, they respond to every movement. The threads sway, rise, and separate, dissolving familiar outlines and creating a sense of continuous transformation. As a result, the silhouette becomes fluid and unstable, while the body is no longer perceived as a fixed form but as a living process of perpetual change.
«Liquid Presence» explores the beauty of transformation and the freedom to move beyond established forms. Through the interaction of textiles, movement, and photography, the project suggests that change is an essential part of the human experience.
«The most beautiful things emerge when people have the courage to move and follow their own impulses», says Franz Josef Baur.
According to the artist, the project seeks to portray human beings as constantly evolving and endlessly rediscovering themselves.
«With ‘Liquid Presence’, I wanted to show that we do not always have to remain in a fixed form. At a time when so much around us is changing, we too have the right to transform, to move, and to rediscover ourselves. The threads respond to every movement, making it visible that nothing is ever truly static. Rebecca embodies this idea in a completely natural way – she does not simply wear the work; she brings it to life», the artist explains.
Rebecca Horner plays a central role in «Liquid Presence», her expressive movement becoming an integral part of the project’s artistic vision.
«Working with Franz Josef is a welcome escape from the pace of everyday life and a true gift for the soul», says the dancer.
Photographer Jakob Kotzmuth captures the fleeting transformations that emerge through movement. In his view, «Liquid Presence» presents the body not as a fixed form, but as something continuously reshaped through textiles, colour, and performance.
«Franz Josef Baur’s thread creations become moving sculptures that exist only for a brief moment. The camera captures that instant before the form changes once again and dissolves into movement», says the photographer.
Photo: Jakob Kotzmuth
