Galeria Plan B is a Romanian art gallery that made its goal to highlight the work of remarkable national artists who had little to no international exposure in the past. In its Berlin gallery, it is presenting at the moment the stunning work of Cornel Brudascu.
Born in 1937, this incredibly talented artist walked through all the political changes of his country and lived them on his own skin. During the dictatorship time, a guard was assigned to follow him and to check that his practice would conform to the regime’s standards. Yet he stayed and fought for his right to simply be himself, and his practice show this spontaneous fearlessness.
His subjects are mainly male dancers, caught up in the instant of a movement and frozen in the tension it carries. His work is filled with this traction, that also transmits a dense sensuality. These young men are depicted in a moment that feels like a lifetime and timeless at the same time. They become some sort of an ideal, as they are stuck yet continuously moving. They are human, yet ethereal. With this stunning survey, the gallery presents the work of an artist whose remarkable practice and pervasive inputs are definitely worth seeing.
Opened until mid-February is the exhibition Swaying the Current at Zilberman | Berlin. Bringing together seven artists from all over the world, the show is questioning the general concept of history, by creating powerful counter-narratives against established power. Cengiz Tekin shows us all the poetry behind everyday objects with his compelling drawings. He makes us reflect on the immediate sense of comfort that we get from our homes, but also on solitude, adversity and precariousness.
Striking as well is the installation by Neriman Polat, which addresses the troubling topic of violence against women. A Kurdish song of mourning accompanies us while we watch the meticulously bleached flowers that vanished on a hanging dress and while we reflect on how this appalling issue is still impacting so many women in the world.
Opened just until January 12, but definitely a must see, is the exhibition Rirkrit Tiravanija: Das Glück ist nicht immer lustig (Happiness is not always fun). The renowned Thai artist makes the involvement of the public a fundamental part of his practice. Through the different rooms visitors can engage in different performing acts, from playing music with strangers, to t-shirt printing, from drinking coffee to playing ping-pong.
It is a way to discuss the role of contemporary museums within their communities. It also becomes a chance for the artist to discuss preconceived concepts, cultural clichés and politics that we often take for granted. In the words of the artist himself: “Art was always trying to give people an opportunity to act freely. To think freely, to see freely, to hear freely”. An occasion we should definitely consider taking.
Another last chance not to miss is the exhibition Summation: Jeder für sich und doch gemeinsam (Each Autonomous and Yet Together), held in the Nordic Embassies in Berlin until January 19. The message of unity and collaboration is already clear in history of the building, an embassy that hosts together Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
The exhibition wants to celebrate the 25th year anniversary of the foundation of this shared institution and to carry on its powerful message. The subtitle, taken from the inaugural speech of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, is an homage to this idea of cooperation, and the artists showcased present different insights into this very important concept. Addressing the importance of community, and delving into different shades of human nature, the exhibition wants to stimulate the viewers’ thoughts on the possibilities of care and the positive changes they can bring.
Reasoning on another very important theme, our perception of time, is the exhibition Life Face on Gold by the Japanese artist Tatsuo Miyajima. Showcased in the Buchmann Box, his paintings are made with gold leaf papers, where he meticulously imprinted the shape of LED numbers. Sequences of digits follow us across the room and make us wonder what they stand for. Are they some sort of immaterial timetable? For what? Our life span, or maybe our daily schedule?
They certainly are a metaphor for our impermanence. They may be related to our frantic lives, yet they are also a chance for us to stop and think about all the other living things on our planet. They make us reflect on the precariousness that is hidden in our lives, and make us reconsider our fundamental values. As the artist pointed out in an interview about his work: “With the development of science and technology, we humans succumb to the illusion that we can do anything and try to manipulate nature as we please. But nature and the universe behave in unpredictable ways”.
This selection of exhibitions wants to be a chance to think about new perspectives for us all as human beings, making us question our standpoint and making us empathize with people who might seem but are not so distant. They can be a possibility to jump into the new year with an open heart and a deepened conscience, acting for new positive beginnings for people from all over the world. Take the chance to dwell into this journey through our January exhibitions’ highlights, and see where it takes you.
