Free as coffee

“Free coffee” for all visitors! Grabbing a quick coffee—this everyday scenario serves as the framework for exploring the multifaceted connections between caffeine consumption, automation, working conditions, and freedom. Visitors are invited to grab their own coffee using a visually exploded fully automatic coffee machine and to watch a video piece. The coffee break they take in the process forms the focal point of the installation. The institutionalized coffee break within the context of wage labor only became globally established in the mid-20th century. From the outset, the primary interest was that of employers shifting their workers' limited periods of alertness into working hours. The video piece casts doubt on the benefits of caffeine and efficiency. Coffee drinkers may recognize themselves—and parallels to current debates on automation and AI—in the work: many apparent gains in efficiency ultimately amount to zero-sum games. And in cases where there is a clear benefit, it remains questionable who actually reaps the profits. The seemingly free coffee enjoyed during a break at work is paid for with fatigue during leisure time—just as the seemingly free coffee at the exhibition is paid for with the visitor's attention to the art installation. Expanded Media Award Stuttgarter Filmwinter 2026 UdK Berlin Art Award 2025 Coproduction: Ortrun Bargholz Consulting: Daniel Hengst Acting: Hanno Jusek Video shoot support: Vinzenz Aubry, Lenn Blaschke, Georg Hoelger Video editing support: Hendrik Kintscher Video location: Café Honiggelb Berlin Writing advice: Christopher Heyder Coffee beans: Kaffee-Kooperative Thanks to: Lensbased (Mykola Ridnyi / Hito Steyerl), Daniela Bargholz, i4innovation GmbH, Tom Lord, Matthias Platnizer, Nicolas Ritter, Idil & Fabian Scharf, Mechthild & Volker Schöll, Niko Schöll, Anna Luise Schubert, Georg Werner