“fortlaufen/continue” is a collection of performative exercises designed by Cosmo Schüppel to immerse participants in an active sensory feedback loop with their environment. The project uses simple, score-based guidelines to foster attentive interaction and empathy between individuals and the non-human world. The core concept is based on the idea of reciprocity (Wechselseitigkeit), understood as the ability to consciously “change sides” in order to encounter non-human others. It involves perceiving one’s surroundings attentively, actively engaging with them, and recognizing the changes caused by one’s own actions. The project has developed through multiple iterations, primarily as site-specific public interactions. In its initial phase at the post-industrial terrain of EOW Weimar, participants explored their environment through six sensory stations. Each exercise follows a short written score and lasts exactly three minutes, timed by the participants themselves. The exercises focus on isolating specific senses—such as sight and movement, smell and touch, or sound and memory—to reconsider human relationships with the environment. A central aspect is a form of close, almost child-like observation that encourages the development of empathy.

In its second iteration, “fortlaufen//continue” presented in November 2023 as part of “Of Webs, Patterns and Other Beings,” the project expanded into a set of ten perception exercises designed specifically for urban contexts. This version was presented as an installation accompanied by a booklet containing the written scores. The focus shifts from post-industrial or natural landscapes to urban spaces, encouraging participants to question habitual movement patterns and become aware of subtle non-human elements within the city.

The project was part of the group exhibition “Of Webs, Patterns and Other Beings” and was funded by the Kreativfonds of Bauhaus Universität-Weimar and Studierendenwerk Thüringen.