Sarah Oppenheimer

Sarah Oppenheimer was born in Austin in 1972 and lives and works between New York and Rotterdam. 

Sarah Oppenheimer’s practice explores the relationship between bodies and architecture through complex spatial interventions that create unexpected visual and physical connections. By altering existing structures and creating new pathways of movement, Oppenheimer transforms the way spaces are perceived and experienced, inviting viewers to become active participants in the environments they inhabit.  

During her residency at Atelier Calder, Oppenheimer developed N-04008 (2024), an installation composed of a network of illuminated elements extending throughout the studio space. Each element, activated through touch, triggered a chain reaction across the system: moving one suspended cylinder generated changes in air pressure through a pneumatic network beneath the floor, transmitting movement to the other components. As circles of light appeared, overlapped, and shifted across the architecture, the installation continuously transformed the perception of the space. Combining light, movement, and technology, N-04008 turned the viewer’s gestures into a collective choreography, creating an ongoing exchange between body, building, and environment.