Anan Fries

Biography

Anan Fries (they/them) is an interdisciplinary artist based in Basel and Berlin. They use emerging technologies to create phygital experiences that offer thought provoking perspectives. They create installations, performances, VR and video works influenced by posthuman and xenofeminist discourse. Their practice explores themes of transformation, reproduction, and the entanglements of nature and technology. Anan’s work is driven by a critical reflection on the technologies used, their connection to power structures, and their potential for social change. Anan’s research areas encompass non-normative representations of pregnant bodies, the future of human reproduction, de-extinction, techno-spirituality, and artificial sexuality. Each of their works is the result of extensive artistic and philosophical research. They view sharing their findings through lectures and workshops as a vital aspect of their artistic practice, as well as organizing events and exhibitions as a way to expand research, facilitate exchange and create networks of collaboration and care. Their VR-essay on posthuman pregnant bodies, “[POSTHUMAN WOMBS], was presented at IDFA DocLab Amsterdam, DOK Leipzig, GIFF Geneva, Konsthall C Stockholm and HEK Basel among other places. Anan was awarded the 3rd prize of the VR Art Prize in 2023. Their phygital funeral for an extinct bird, “R.I.P. – Resurrect in Peace”, was presented at Berlin Art Week 2024. They regularly collaborate with HAU Hebbel am Ufer. In 2025 they were part of Pro Helvetia's East Asia residency programme and artist in residence at transmediale. Their work “Artificial Sex Ep. 1 & 2” won the IDFA DocLab Award for Digital Storytelling 2025 and the Special Jury Prize of the 2026 Breakthroughs in Storytelling Awards by Columbia University's Digital Storytelling Lab.