Thorsten Becker
Contextual Analysis & Curation

Welcome

I am Thorsten Becker, an analyst, author, and facilitator. I examine how meaning, value, and story emerge through perception, encounter, and environment.

I have always been fascinated by stories, detective stories in particular. Sherlock Holmes’ line, “Data! Data! Data! I can’t make bricks without clay,” became a kind of guiding principle throughout my career.

Curiosity is where it all begins. What might this be? Where does it come from? What surrounds it? What does it carry? Why does it matter? What could it become?

Over time, context became central to my work. I learned to look beneath the surface of subjects, objects, places, and spaces. Patterns began to emerge. And patterns need careful attention, structure, and presentation.

That is where curation enters my practice. Not as simple organization, but as a way of selecting, preserving, arranging, and presenting what matters so a clearer narrative can appear.

My goal is clarity. I believe clarity arises when something is placed in context, carefully curated, and presented thoughtfully. Context, curation, and clarity have become the guiding principles of my work.

A central expression of this work is Things Tell Tales, a creative format for exploring objects, places, and often overlooked details through observation, research, photography, and storytelling. It forms the foundation for essays, field notes, object narratives, guided experiences, and workshops that help participants look more closely and discover the meaning, value, and stories that objects, places, and spaces can hold.

Where I Come From

For many years, my professional work focused on systems, data, and business intelligence. I translated complexity into structure, recognized patterns, built analytical systems, and helped people make sense of information-rich situations.

Over time, I realized that my deeper interest was not data in itself, but investigation: following traces, interpreting patterns, restoring context, and articulating meaning.

That shift did not come from nowhere. Since childhood, I have been drawn to libraries, objects, places, stories, discoveries, and the value we assign to what we notice and keep. I have worked as a journalist, essayist, analyst, educator, and creative guide at different points in my life.

The common thread has always been inquiry:

finding out what something is, where it comes from, what significance it holds, and how its value changes when we understand its context. 

What I offer

I offer guided formats that help participants observe more closely, perceive more consciously, and discover the meaning, value, and stories that objects, places, and spaces can hold.

These may take the form of object-based sessions, sensory writing walks, field note gatherings, place-based inquiry, or reflective formats for creative, cultural, educational, and community settings.

My workshops explore, among other things, objects with hidden histories, collections that seek narrative structure, places whose atmospheres deserve attention, and overlooked details that can become starting points for a story.

Alongside this, I support selected editorial, curatorial, and educational projects through research, contextual analysis, narrative development, public-facing writing, sensory and environmental observation, and practical guidance.

My role is often that of an investigator and guide: someone who helps restore context, organize what matters, and create clarity.

I am also open to developing suitable collaborations with cultural institutions, educational institutions, libraries, care facilities, stores, and community spaces.

A small example

In The Curious Case of a Little Old Book and the follow-up essay on Clara Morris, I began with a modest object : an old book that looked rather plain on the outside.

At first glance, it appeared unremarkable. Through closer observation and research, it opened into a wider context of theatrical history, authorship, and cultural presence. The object was no longer just a book, but part of a larger network of references, associations, and meanings.

By tracing its origin, examining its material qualities, and situating it within its cultural and historical setting, its significance became more visible. What had seemed minor gained weight, direction, and narrative.

This shift did not come from adding anything new, but from changing how the object was seen and understood.

The full essays can be read here:

• The Curious Case of a Little Old Book

• On Clara Morris and the Things That Remain

Where Structure Enters

In my work, I also draw on the Attuned Perception Framework (APF), the deeper structure behind my approach. My process of contextual analysis and curation describes how I investigate and present meaning; APF helps clarify what I pay attention to: how environments shape attention, atmosphere, interpretation, orientation, and perceived value across natural, urban, and virtual spaces.

However, the framework is not a rigid method. It is intended to help us recognize connections that often remain hidden: how context shapes our perception, how atmosphere influences trust, and how we internally orient ourselves to the places and situations we move through.

You can explore the full framework here.