A method for gesture recognition by means of a device for gesture recognition, having - a screen for displaying graphical data or an image object (120, 121, 122); - a gesture recognition unit that includes a sensor (100, 101, 102, 103) for recognizing an object and the distance of the object from the sensor (100, 101, 102, 103), comprising the following steps: - detecting the position of an object or a change in position of the object, - ascertaining the distance of the object from the screen by means of the sensor (100, 101, 102, 103), - determining the position of the object or the change in position by means of a position recognition algorithm, the position being determined in a sensor coordinate system (115, 116, 117, 118) in the detection range of the sensor (100, 101, 102, 103), - ascertaining the position of the object in a gesture recognition coordinate system (130, 131, 132) which is a three-dimensional non-Cartesian coordinate system, - recognizing a gesture from the ascertained position or change in position of the object, - representing multiple image objects (120, 121, 122) on the screen, characterized in that the gesture recognition coordinate system (130, 131, 132) is selected as follows: - creating a gesture recognition coordinate system (130, 131, 132) for each of the multiple image objects (120, 121, 122), - wherein the position of the particular gesture recognition coordinate system (130, 131, 132) depends on the position of the image object (120, 121, 122) on the screen, - assigning a priority and/or hierarchy for at least one of the image objects (120, 121, 122). - selecting a gesture recognition coordinate system (130, 131 132) of an image object (120, 121, 122), taking into account the priority or the hierarchy of the image objects (120, 121, 122). - a screen for displaying graphical data or an image object (120, 121, 122); - a gesture recognition unit that includes a sensor (100, 101, 102, 103) for recognizing an object and the distance of the object from the sensor (100, 101, 102, 103), - detecting the position of an object or a change in position of the object, - ascertaining the distance of the object from the screen by means of the sensor (100, 101, 102, 103), - determining the position of the object or the change in position by means of a position recognition algorithm, the position being determined in a sensor coordinate system (115, 116, 117, 118) in the detection range of the sensor (100, 101, 102, 103), - ascertaining the position of the object in a gesture recognition coordinate system (130, 131, 132) which is a three-dimensional non-Cartesian coordinate system, - recognizing a gesture from the ascertained position or change in position of the object, - representing multiple image objects (120, 121, 122) on the screen, - creating a gesture recognition coordinate system (130, 131, 132) for each of the multiple image objects (120, 121, 122), - wherein the position of the particular gesture recognition coordinate system (130, 131, 132) depends on the position of the image object (120, 121, 122) on the screen, - assigning a priority and/or hierarchy for at least one of the image objects (120, 121, 122). - selecting a gesture recognition coordinate system (130, 131 132) of an image object (120, 121, 122), taking into account the priority or the hierarchy of the image objects (120, 121, 122).