History of the Company
The roots of artist ritual date back to 2006 and the independent art and culture underground scene. From our long-standing involvement with artists, projects, and a wide variety of art forms – combined with over 25 years of professional experience in the world of bands and tours – the idea gradually took shape for a digital infrastructure that goes beyond simply publishing content and specifically connects people with one another.
In 2026, ashoka ritual went live in 12 languages as a global artist network, global artist search engine and global artist index. This transforms artist ritual’s editorial and cultural expertise into a technology-driven product: structured artist profiles, multilingual search, matching, and direct communication for an internationally connected creative community. The solution may well have what it takes to become a “CRM for humans.”
Our Brand Architecture
The brand artist ritual is the editorial and cultural platform focused on art, artists, and developments in the creative world.
The brand ashoka ritual is the technology and networking platform: a digital system for structured identity, search, matching, communication, and building professional relationships.
Both brands serve different purposes: artist ritual provides context and editorial reach; ashoka ritual provides digital infrastructure and network effects.
Founders
Tobias von Kitzing, Lead Developer
David Uhl, Lead Strategist
Creative Guiding Idea
Levels of Meaning ashoka ritual
Ashoka
Ashoka was an Indian king who, more than 2,000 years ago, was the first of his kind to turn away from exploiting his people and waging war—inspired by Buddhism—and toward greater devotion, compassion, and solidarity. After winning a war, Ashoka realized the true extent of the bloodshed he had caused. This story serves as a parable that can be applied to many areas of life today. Authenticity, inner expression, sustainability, and respect play important roles in this context.
For us, Ashoka symbolizes transformation and responsibility: reach and strength only gain value when they are oriented not toward dominance, but toward connection and responsible action.
Ritual represents recurring patterns that foster community and trust. Applied to the platform, these are profiles, dialogs, matching, collaborations, and joint projects.
The name “ashoka ritual” thus combines two principles: technology should expand opportunities for action; clear structures should turn global openness into reliable relationships.
Levels of Effect: ashoka ritual
ashoka
Shock, something unexpected, something surprising—“Who or what triggers the shock?”
ritual
Associations with movement, event, happening, progression, and process
Associations with something mysterious, mystical
Associations with a sense of community
Ashoka's insights and his newly acquired worldview can be transported to the present time as desirable developments and conditions.
Corporate Design
The logo connects the letters “a” and “r” and visualizes the brand’s core concept: individual paths intersect; people work together for a time and then go on to pursue their own paths. This visual concept aligns with the purpose of ashoka ritual: The network is not intended to foster uniformity, but rather to create meaningful intersections between diverse creative trajectories. The minimalist design language is intentionally international and cross-cultural.
The logo’s neutrality makes it applicable to all cultural contexts.
Based on that, the structure of today's art magazine evolved as follows.
TRADITIONAL ART
- Cooking Art
- Sculpture & Crafts
- Esotericism & Spiritualism
- Literary Arts
- Martial Arts
- Classical & Traditional Music
- Traditional Design
MODERN ART
- Body Art
- Decorations + Installations
- Drawing
- Interior Design
- Painting
- Street Art
DIGITAL ART
- Digital Design
- DJing, LJing, MCing & VJing
- Electronic Bands
- Film Production & Video Production
- Music Production & Live Acts
- Photography
PERFORMING ARTS
- Magic & Artistry
- Biking, Skating & Surfing
- Dancing
- Dramatic Arts
- Erotic Art
- Singing & Songwriting
Editorial Team
artist ritual is supported by an editorial team of more than ten people. Peter Lahr and Siegfried Uhl form the core editorial team. The editorial work maintains a direct connection to artists, art forms, projects, and cultural developments. For ashoka ritual, this proximity to the scene is a key source of product insight. At the same time, the technology platform is clearly distinguished from the magazine’s editorial work in terms of both organization and content.
Peter Lahr, Editor
Siegfried Uhl (links), Editor-in-Chief and Owner
Siegfried Uhl, editor and owner of the art magazine *artist ritual* (left), together with curator Kerstin Dinklage at a sculpture exhibition by artist Anton Smith on the grounds of the Erinvale Golf Club in Cape Town, South Africa
Enjoy reading and hopping through the art magazine.