Face-o-mat
Touring Public Art Project by Tobias Gutmann

5500 Portraits
38+ cities

At the core of Tobias Gutmann’s artistic practice lies an exploration of encounters—between people, cultures, and environments, but also between inner perception and outer appearance. With Face-o-mat, Gutmann has transformed the simple act of portrait drawing into an innovative interface for human connection. The act of drawing becomes a ritual in which the artist manifests and translates encounters through his hands. This process of looking closely, listening deeply and breathing together, goes beyond representation, revealing the presence behind the face. Rather than producing photorealistic likenesses, Gutmann seeks to capture the resonance of a person, the sound of a face. Across more than a decade, the ongoing Face-o-mat performance has evolved into a living archive, a new visual language that embodies curiosity and play, wilderness and stillness, while reimagining drawing as a tool for human connection.

Building on this legacy, the project has expanded into new formats. The Face-o-mat Re-Performance invites local artists to perform the work following Gutmann’s score, allowing a broader audience to experience its ritual of presence and connection. In workshops, visitors become part of the Face-o-mat community, stepping into the role of portrayer and engaging in mutual acts of seeing and being seen. Extending this inquiry into the digital realm, Sai Bot—Gutmann’s AI twin—translates the essence of Face-o-mat into machine logic, questioning what it means for technology to perceive us and how human connection transforms in dialogue with
artificial intelligence.

Face-o-mat Tobias Gutmann & Sai Bot, 2024, Misk Art Institute, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Face-o-mat by Tobias Gutmann, Misk At Institute, Riyadh Tobias Gutmann - Face-o-mat / Sai Bot

Face-o-mat Tobias Gutmann & Sai Bot, 2024
Misk Art Institute, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Face-o-mat Atelier, 2024, Ithra Museum, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

Face-o-mat Atelier, 2024
Ithra Museum, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

Face-o-mat Hermès

Face-o-mat performance, 2014-2019
Hermès Paris, International

2013-2018 Face-o-mat Centre Pompidou, Art Central Hong Kong, Mudam Luxembourg, Papua New Guinea

Face-o-mat performance, 2013-2019
Centre Pompidou Paris, Art Central Hong Kong, Mindpark Shenzhen and more...

«I can do that too!» says the AI, 2023, Underdogs Gallery, Lisbon.

«I can do that too!» says the AI, 2023
solo show, Underdogs Gallery, Lisbon

Nomination for the Swiss Design Awards, Basel

2014 / 2015 / 2018 / 2022
Swiss Design Awards, Basel

Face-o-mat Tobias Gutmann & Sai Bot, 2022, Barbara Seiler at schwarzescafé, Löwenbräu Kunst, Zurich

Tobias Gutmann & Sai Bot, 2022
solo show, schwarzescafé, Löwenbräu Kunst, Zurich

Tobias Gutmann und Sai Bot, 2022/2023, Mobiliar Kunstsammlung, Berne

Tobias – Sai Bot, 2023
solo show, Mobiliar Kunstsammlung, Berne

How does Faceomat work?

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Where did the idea come from, what was the inspiration?

Is FOM the same every time or do you create a new environment for every installation?

What does mindful dialogue mean?

How do you choose your materials and tools for a project?

What happens to the portraits afterwards?

What happens to the installations afterwards?

Where can I see FOM next?

What is the FOM Atelier?

How can I buy a kit?

Face-o-mat Portrait Archive