sergey bratkov

Highlights of the year 2024

Highlights of the year 2024

Dear friends of the arts and muses,

As 2024 draws to a close, we reflect on a year spent deeply exploring the pressing questions of memory and identity in an increasingly fragmented world. This journey has brought forth fresh perspectives on historical legacies and personal narratives, demonstrating time and again the profound ways in which art engages with the issues of our era. As we look back, we wish to revisit some of the year's key moments, which centred not only on artistic endeavours but also on fostering intellectual exchange.

Opening words by the curators JMH Schindele and Eleonora Frolov on 17 August 2024

Opening words by the curators JMH Schindele and Eleonora Frolov on 17 August 2024

The exhibition ‘New Memories (El Arbi Bouqdib Archive)’
August to October at Pumpwerk Berlin: identity as a collective narrative

The exhibition ‘New Memories’ opened in August at a new venue, the former Altglienicke waterworks in southern Berlin. A significant milestone this year, it explored the intricate interplay of memory and identity through the archive of El Arbi Bouqdib. More than just a retrospective of an extraordinary thinker and outsider, the exhibition became a space where memory was presented as a fluid and dynamic concept. Bouqdib’s archive, a fascinating amalgamation of science, philosophy, and mystical reflections, served as the foundation for nine exceptional artists, each interpreting this multifaceted cosmos in their own distinctive way.

The installation ‘The Flower and Death’

The installation ‘The Flower and Death’

The works of the artists

The works featured in the exhibition were far more than aesthetic objects; they embodied a profound philosophical inquiry into the nature of memory, the impact of digitalisation, and the interplay between faith and science. Sergey Bratkov’s installation investigated the Koranic code and the significance of the number 19, while Elshan Ghasimi’s concept album ‘The Flower and Death’, along with Stark & Shakupa’s video installation of the same name, blended classical Persian music with contemporary biography and conceptual art. Ben Greber’s ‘Mr & Mrs Bouqdib’ offered a compelling exploration of the relationship between the unequal couple, while Michal MartychowiecPatrick Panetta, and Max Schaffer delved deeply into the themes of memory and materiality through their thought-provoking works.

Opening Neue Erinnerungen 2024

Events as places of intellectual exchange

Beyond the exhibition itself, a rich programme of events further enhanced the experience, strengthening the connections between diverse arts, cultures, and intellectual discourse. A standout highlight was the concert by Elshan Ghasimi and Philipp Püschel, which mesmerisingly blurred the lines between classical Persian music, jazz, and electronic sounds, showcasing art as a bridge between cultures and traditions. Additionally, talks and curator-led tours with the participating artists and academics provided deeper insights into the works, shedding light on their philosophical, historical, and artistic dimensions.

Click on the photo to watch the trailer of DUO Ghasimi & Püschel, founded in 2024, and their new programme SHANAMEH (The Book of Kings).

Fellowship for Sergey Bratkov

In 2024, the Berlin Senate awarded the renowned Ukrainian artist Sergey Bratkov the ‘Weltoffenes Berlin’ fellowship, along with a grant that allowed him to further develop his artistic voice and establish his position in his new home city of Berlin. Bratkov was joined in this endeavour by curator Eleonora Frolov. This marks the second time the Bublitz platform has sponsored this prestigious fellowship.

During this period, Bratkov has participated in numerous significant exhibitions and biennials. Highlights include My Brother’s Cats at the Kunstmuseum Magdeburg, Ukrainian Dreamers at the Kommunale Galerie Berlin, and Sense of Safety at the Yermilov Centre in Kharkiv, among others. Additionally, Sergey Bratkov and Eleonora Frolov have launched the ‘Bratkov + Frolov’ class, a series of inspiring workshops on conceptual photography held at the Schwartzsche Villa.

For those interested, guided tours of Bratkov’s new studio or his current works can be arranged via email upon request.

One of Bratkov’s new works, Horoscope for the European Union, created for the exhibition ‘New Memories’, features a cactus caught between staying in its pot or leaving it—a striking metaphor for the indecision and complexities of our era.

One of Bratkov’s new works, Horoscope for the European Union, created for the exhibition ‘New Memories’, features a cactus caught between staying in its pot or leaving it—a striking metaphor for the indecision and complexities of our era.

Greetings and outlook for 2025

We look ahead to the new year with confidence and warmly invite you to anticipate exciting upcoming projects, including Elshan Ghasimi’s latest Tasneef work cycle, premiering on 17th March at the Catholic Academy Berlin.

Finally, we extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped shape 2024 with us: our artists, supporters, visitors, partner institutions, philanthropists, and all those whose dedication makes our work possible.

Kind regards and best wishes for a reflective end to the year,

Eleonora Frolov & JMH Schinde

Mr. & Mrs. Bouqdib

If you’re still searching for a meaningful gift as the year comes to a close, consider the exclusive edition of Ben Greber’s work ‘Mr. & Mrs. Bouqdib’. The ‘souvenir flowers’ from Maggie Bouqdib’s garden are intricately crafted from El Arbi Bouqdib’s calculator memory cards—an astonishing, shimmering synthesis of two worlds, or perhaps two entire cosmoses.

Edition: 18 unique pieces from the installation ‘Mr. and Mrs. Bouqdib’
OrderClick here

A Christmas greeting from the darkness: Michal Martychowiec's ‘What Remains the Poets Provide’.

A Christmas greeting from the darkness: Michal Martychowiec's ‘What Remains the Poets Provide’.

© Photos: Stefan Haehnel, Arne Ahlert, Timo Kahlisch, Michal Martychowiec

Posted by Joseph in News
Fellowship Sergey Bratkov | Partnership Eleonora Frolov

Fellowship Sergey Bratkov | Partnership Eleonora Frolov

Sergey Bratkov: Fuck a Star (1989)

Sergey Bratkov: Fuck a Star (1989)

Sergey Bratkov is a fellow of Bublitz 2024
Partnership with the curator Eleonora Frolov

 

Dear Readers,

As a critic of the regime, political artist and Ukrainian, Sergey Bratkov is not the first and will certainly not be the last to be forced to leave Russia's chosen path:

The fate of Bratkov and thousands of other dissidents and intellectuals could also have taken place in the Stalin era with its devastating repressions, and even today, opponents of the war and all dissenters are in the crosshairs. The power of the Kremlin reaches far into Europe with its abhorrent harshness and brutality. Would Bratkov ever have imagined that his life's journey would lead him to Germany? After all, back in 1995, together with the Fast Reaction Group, he explored the atrocities committed by German soldiers during the Second World War in the exhibition "If I Were a German?".

Sergey Bratkov: “Endless War” Video Still (2010)

Sergey Bratkov: “Endless War” Video Still (2010)

Almost 30 years later, after the outbreak of war in Ukraine, Bratkov came to Germany supported by the Artist at Risk organisation, which helps artists whose freedom and lives are at risk. The Berlin Senate also honoured Bratkov as a Fellow Weltoffenes Berlin with a grant for 2024 to establish his artistic position and voice in his new home.

Bublitz organises the fellowship; Bratkov will be supported by the artistic directors Eleonora Frolov and JMH Schindele during this period. Bublitz is a project partner of the Senate for the second time, following its collaboration with Iranian musician and composer Elshan Ghasimi in 2022.

Sergey Bratkov, courtesy of the artist (2017)

Sergey Bratkov, courtesy of the artist (2017)

Link to the exhibition 'Heldenzeiten' by Sergey Bratkov at the Deichtorhallen in Hamburg.

Bratkov, who represented Ukraine at the Venice Biennale in 2007, taught as a professor at the Rodchenko Art School for over two decades and educated two generations of young talent from all over Eastern Europe. As a representative of the Kharkiv School of Photography, his work can currently be seen in the exhibition Ukrainian Dreamers at the Kommunale Galerie Berlin. The Kunstmuseum Magdeburg is dedicating a solo exhibition to his work in the summer of 2024; future exhibitions are also being developed in collaboration with Bublitz.

Even though Sergey Bratkov had to leave his artistic homeland, he was spared the cruel fate of many other critical voices. Thanks to the support of friends, the Berlin Senate, and Bublitz, Bratkov can now continue to develop his unique visual language safely here in exile.

The thematic extension and focus on Eastern Europe result from the new partnership with curator Eleonora Frolov. She specialised in positions from Central and Eastern Europe and their working methods, which are characterised by deep traces of the former Eastern Bloc. As artistic directors of Bublitz, Frolov and JMH Schindele will jointly curate the program in the future.

Please get in touch with us here for interview requests, studio visits, and further information.

Sincerely,

Eleonora Frolov & JMH Schindele

Sergey Bratkov: “Mona Bucha” from the series “Lost“ (2022)

Sergey Bratkov: “Mona Bucha” from the series “Lost“ (2022)

Partner of the fellowship Weltoffenes Berlin:

Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt
Posted by Joseph in News