Twinkle lights, gigantic scarves, and Glühwein are keeping us warm, merry, and bright this December. But if you still need that extra dose of cheer, we’ve selected a handful of art events to keep our spirits high.
From slimy performances to mysterious photography, once again Berlin doesn’t disappoint. See painted film animation, get lost in an art festival, and peruse art publications. Despite the abysmal lack of daylight and ever-present grey sky, there’s nonetheless plenty to keep us busy this winter. Read on and stay cosy!
Margot Wallard: Natten
Dorothée Nilsson Gallery
December 1st, 2017 – January 27th, 2018
A forest, shrouded in secrets with unknown fantasies and spectres lurking in the darkness, is the subject of Margot Wallard’s photography series, Natten. With ghost-like images of bats, owls, icy trees, and the human body, the photographer captures the mythology of the forest. As her artist statement expresses, “The forest became a place of resistance, somewhere where she could give free rein to that part of herself that does not cheat. With long exposures, leaving the shutter sufficient time to etch onto the film of the movements of the soul.” See Natten for yourself at the Dorothée Nilsson Gallery to experience the poetry of a winter forest.
Caterina Detti: Photos From A Camp
PremArts Gallery
Opening: December 1st, 19:00
Runs: December 1st – 7th, 2017
Step into the daily life of a refugee camp with the photography of Caterina Detti. Two series by the artist, Walls and Mafi Shi, created during last three months of her six-month stay in camp in Southern Greece, capture the day-to-day rhythms of residents with intimacy and tenderness.
Detti says of the experience, “To those generations of the future, who will wonder what it was like to be here now, I say this: watching history in the making is not how you would predict it to be; it lies somewhere between micro and mega. From where you stand, these people are both part of the millions and the ones. They are the refugees of the war and unrest that ravaged the Middle East in the 20th century, displacing millions, and eventually producing the Afro/Arab/European descendants that will be our neighbours in the centuries to come. They are also my friends from rooms 61, 18, 16 and 37c – Hasna, Aziz, Feras, Afaf.”
Photos From A Camp will be on view at PremArts Gallery for one week from their opening on December 1st. Photos, prints and postcards will be available for purchase and 50% of all profits will go towards Baobab Experience, an NGO working with African migrants arriving on Italian shores. Don’t miss the chance to see this powerful work.
Materialist Photography
Jarvis Dooney Galerie
December 2nd, 19:00
Since the invention of photography in the early 1800s, humans have been fascinated by the ability to capture reality with a still image. But with the constant development of our technology, the photograph perhaps becomes less of an art and more of a science.
Materialist Photography is an exhibition of work that is responding to the ubiquity of photography and turning instead to the materiality of the medium. Rather than looking to document the world, these artists play with the material itself: the paper, the camera, the developing process. Featuring five artists, working with the materiality of photographs in both analogue and digital realms, the exhibition explores the spontaneous and material nature of photography.
Siegmar Zacharias: Slime Dynamics
Sophiensaele
December 7th – 10th
Slime: the word alone conjures up immediate and visceral bodily reactions to the idea of that wet, gooey, sticky substance. Now imagine 200 litres of fake slime and three female bodies – our understanding of the word changes entirely and the performance Slime Dynamics is born. Conceptualised by artist Siegmar Zacharias, the work “explores the space between form and shapelessness, talking and leaking, desire and disgust, intimacy and alienation. How do we feel and think in an unstable, flowing world?” Slide into the fluid world created by Zacharias and her team and enjoy – at least from a distance! Book your tickets here.
Lost: 48 Hours Art Festival
Willner Brauerei
December 15th – 17th
Anyone for an art festival? Here’s our art recommendation from the LOLA Issue Five guide:
“Pankow’s Willner Brauerei will open its doors for one last hurrah as 80 artists and musicians host the 48-hour Art Festival. For the first and last time, the 3000m2 brewery, storehouse and vaulted cellar will transform into an immersive art experience. The non-stop programme includes artist talks, opera, live performances, cinema, pianists, two club floors curated by Berliner labels, and exhibitions by DARK ROOMS, ENTER ART FOUNDATION, and PRIEST AND PRAWNS. The festival will take place for two days from December 15th to 17th. Learn more at lostberlin.de.” – Maria Mouk
Launch of FK-Press : Print & Publication Sale
F.K.Kollektiv – FotoKlub Kollektiv
December 16th, 13:00 – 19:00
The FK-Kollektiv is a photography collective dedicated to creating a community for photographers in Berlin. They share a print facility, weekly critique group, and offer an artist residency. On December 16th, swing by their new studio for the launch of the FK-Press where they will present a range of beautiful, curious, artistic publications printed in-house. From photography books to zines, art lovers will have plenty to peruse and purchase at affordable prices. To learn more about the FK-Kollektiv, read our interview with the artist collective in LOLA Issue Five.
Loving Vincent: Preview Screening
BABYLON
December 27th, 20:00
Vincent van Gogh is a household name, the creator of images that seem to transcend paintings and become icons: sunflowers and starry nights emerging out of thick brushstrokes, loaded with paint. In honor of the famous artist, Loving Vincent, a fully painted animated film, explores the life and death of the painter. His paintings come alive and the events of his dramatic life unfold in this painted animation. This December, Mobile Kino is presenting a preview screening of the incredible film. Book your tickets here now to guarantee yourself a spot.
