VERNISSAGE - CLOSE CLOSER CLOSED

In the organizer's words:

VERNISSAGE

02.05.2024 / from 6 pm

Speaker: Dr. Célina von Bezold (philosopher)

Live DJ ACT: Cvntahontas (Bahnwärther Thiel)

About the exhibition

The exhibition "CLOSE CLOSER CLOSED - Between Closeness and Isolation" by Dasha Minkina deals with the concept of longing for closeness, which we as a society have collectively forgotten. Paintings in oil on canvas show intertwined bodies, but it is not about the people. What is portrayed here is the need for interpersonal relationships and humanity itself. Humanity that can be experienced through touch and intimacy. Connectedness with others through sensing what we have in common.

The core question of the work: What does it mean to be human in our time? In an increasingly technological, digital and AI-oriented future, its meaning is changing. The unique selling point of being human is shifting from reason and logical thinking to emotions, social relationships and the physical body.

The first of the group pictures was taken in 2021 in complete isolation - during the lockdown, when only one person was allowed to be seen. Head to head, it shows a group of young people resting in the morning sun - a reminder of festival moments after a night of partying together, of a sense of community.

In the current series "Strangers", Dasha Minkina shows familiar strangers: people cuddling at so-called cuddle parties, which are sprouting up all over the world. A social trend and contemporary testimony to the longing for physical presence around one's own body. The strangers intertwine in the search for something deeper - a recognition of the self in the other, a reminder of an inherent need for understanding.

The inspiration behind the exhibition theme stems not least from the artist's biographical background. The search for connection and belonging has accompanied Dasha Minkina since she emigrated as a teenager. Born in Russia in the early 1980s, growing up in Ukraine and emigrating to Germany in the 1990s - the experience of cultural change led to the questioning of identity and belonging, which became important narratives in her artistic approach.

The exhibition shows numerous new works along a small retrospective that illuminates the path of the artistic position.

"CLOSE CLOSER CLOSED - Between Closeness and Isolation" | Pop Up Gallery at Kunstlabor 2, Dachauerstr. 90, 80335 Munich