CTM Festival 2020: music beyond borders


CTM Festival 2020: music beyond borders


Collater.al Contributors · 4 years ago · Art

CTM Festival 2020 celebrated and evolved the concept of liminality, hybridization and transgression comprehensively considering all of them as are not enough in and of themself.
The Festival drew inspiration from music and contemporary art and offered several inputs to expand the considerations beyond the disciplines and the meaning of boundaries – in their acceptance of multifaceted spiritual practices and social rituals as well as aesthetic, psychedelic, and other transformative experiences. 

Liminal spaces are zones and abstract ideas whose limits and goals remain uncertain: what does it really mean to enjoy music performances in their peeks and limits? What does it mean to interpret arbitrarily arts? What does it really mean a 360° clubbing experience? Could it be exhaustive to examine carefully in advance all the performers and gigs or live an immersive music experience means to let yourself go into a deep and naive journey without preconceptions? 

Based on these reflections, it started our experience at CTM 2020, in Berlin.

The acclaimed HBO series Chernobyl is also known for its remarkable soundtrack.
The sounds of this work are captured from an actual power plant (Ignalina – Lituania), including pumps, reactors, and turbines which created a constant sense of anxiety – performed in a stunning location (Bethonalle –  Silent Garden), earlier used as a former crematorium that operated for only six months before the crematorium was finally closed down.
The overall experience was enriched by acoustic instrumentations and field recordings combined with astonishing changing-lights and smoke-effects.

It has already been written almost everything about Berghain: from the absurd theories about bouncers’ selection strategies to the club’s descriptions as an enchanted black universe full of stairs, corners, dark spots, and hidden places. You can pretty much do whatever you want in this place, and moreover nobody will ever know – if it’s your concern.
Anyway – Thursday night was a soft-clubbing night.
I found interesting the perception that all the people in these ambiguous spaces find ourselves more clearly; it seems that somewhere precarious between a past that is no longer present and an ever-becoming future could help to stimulate both imaginations and freedom – that’s liminality, maybe.

Interstial Spaces

The proposed artistic perspectives in this exhibition open up interpretations of in-betweens and thus, at the same time, question their opposite: the places that are supposedly “real” and concrete. It is thus revealed that unambiguity is arbitrarily produced through coexistence.
The Interstitial Spaces exhibition takes the questions of CTM 2020’s theme beyond the margins of music through an accurate selection of different atmospheres and immersive rooms.

Inferno

In the catastrophic theories on technology and control, the artists Louis-Philippe Demers and Bill Vorn introduce “Inferno,” a participatory robotic performance enacting an experience of hell and punishment. Addressing many persistent anxieties around the relationships between humans and technologies, and the shifting boundaries between them, “Inferno” envisions infinite punishment as endless automation and subordination to the machine, as participants are drawn to the spectacles and thrills of submission.
Participants are divided and split allowed only partial control over their own bodies. In this liminal experience of purgatory, the ambiguous possibility of salvation hangs overhead beguiled audience members, who submit to a spectacle of suffering.

The 2nd night at Berghain was characterized by a lineup full of nu-gabberisms, drum’n’bass evolutions, between anxiety and ecstasy, panic and after-hours enhanced by explosive multi-disciplinary connections – it’s quite rare to become involved in “a unique commission between Uganda’s Nyege Nyege Festival and CTM, Gabber Modus Operandi are joined by Wahono (of Uwalmassa, a Jakarta-based project that explores connections between contemporary electronics and traditional Indonesian sounds), and Uganda’s Nakibembe Xylophone Troupe, one of the few remaining groups that perform on the embaire—an extremely rare and gigantic indigenous wooden xylophone that is simultaneously played by eight musicians.”

You Will Go Away One Day But I Will Not

Through this immersive installation in the tropical greenhouse, Alves and Dalt attempt to open a space for the multifarious voices of the forest—organic and inorganic, human and non-human, speculative and lived—while also pointing to their silencing and erasure by European colonists.
The political impact and the role of communities are quite prominent and create such experiences and practices affect political and cultural impact.
Is it enough to practice forms of experimental politics in a liminal space that has to make do without tangible utopias?

Transmediale – The Eternal Network

The Eternal Network is a group exhibition about the persistence of networks, with a focus on their potentials and limits in response to current social and technological changes.
In times of environmental and political turmoil, networks have lost their mass appeal and are the subject of widespread backlash: blackouts, propaganda, hate speech, addiction, and a human desire to disintermediate from the platforms of surveillance capitalism. Still, networks are ubiquitous, and thus both the poison and cure for the act of organizing within activism and politics alike. With the now more tangible limits of networks in mind, the exhibition asks how effectively they respond to future models of sociality, technology, and politics.
By connecting “The Eternal Network,” critical net cultures, and contemporary artworks, the exhibition closes the loop between the pre- and post-internet moments. With the backlash against networks in mind, it re-examines the legacies of critical net cultures, asking if and how they will continue to have an emancipatory relevance in the future.

CTM 2020 – as they used to highlight – throws itself into limbo in hopes of stimulating a critical discussion of our present and possible futures.
They thrust us into the grey zone between the two sides of a supposedly clear demarcation.

At the end of this all-embracing days in Berlin, we feel like we’re in between. Within ambivalence and perpetual evolution, we float on air without assurance nor sureness – a bit dazed.
How and in what shape will we emerge? What/who will we encounter along the way? Is there anything else beyond this liminal zone?
At Berlin-Tegel gate, we feel like we were fluctuating forms, minds, and bodies both regenerated and deflagrated.

CTM Festival | Collater.al 3

Text by Marco Gardenale
Pictures by CTM

CTM Festival 2020: music beyond borders

Art
CTM Festival 2020: music beyond borders

CTM Festival 2020: music beyond borders

1 · 12
2 · 12
3 · 12
4 · 12
5 · 12
6 · 12
7 · 12
8 · 12
9 · 12
10 · 12
11 · 12
12 · 12
Wasted Youth by Federico Hurth

Wasted Youth by Federico Hurth

Giorgia Massari · 1 month ago · Photography

In an era characterized by the uncontrollable proliferation of digital images, selfies, and the widespread use of filters that distort the perception of the contemporary world, photographer Federico Hurth captures an authentic portrait of youth, but one that is burnt out. His project, titled Wasted Youth, is a true reportage, or as Federico himself describes it, «a personal photographic diary in which I collect snapshots of carefree moments.» His strictly analog shots depict faces, bodies, and situations, always following «a damned, fashionable, artistic, musical aesthetic.» In Federico Hurth’s shots, the melancholy and inner rebellion of a generation emerge. Some of the shots from the project, which Federico has been working on since 2021, will be exhibited at the Doppia V Gallery in Lugano from October 20th to November 17th, in an exhibition curated by Francesca Bernasconi.

Federico Hurth’s photographs are devoid of any post-production manipulation, «if a photo has a flaw, I keep it that way. Precisely to maximize the authenticity of the moment,» the photographer tells us. Wasted Youth offers a glimpse into fragments of youthful lives lived intensely but, at the same time, in a way that may seem “wasted,” in line with the title of his project. The aesthetic, which oscillates between the glitter of glamour and the darkness of decay, reflects the complexity and uncertainty that the contemporary context offers to young people, who are at the mercy of looming precariousness.

In conclusion, quoting the words of curator Francesca Bernasconi, «Federico Hurth’s photographs are characterized by an intriguing immediacy and an instinctive and decisive formal exploration, strongly linked to the revolutionary aesthetics that emerged in the 1990s through the work of a generation of photographers, often, like Hurth, straddling the worlds of fashion and alternative artistic scenes.»

Courtesy Federico Hurth

Wasted Youth by Federico Hurth
Photography
Wasted Youth by Federico Hurth
Wasted Youth by Federico Hurth
1 · 12
2 · 12
3 · 12
4 · 12
5 · 12
6 · 12
7 · 12
8 · 12
9 · 12
10 · 12
11 · 12
12 · 12
Daniel Obasi’s Vision of Africa in Lavazza’s New Calendar

Daniel Obasi’s Vision of Africa in Lavazza’s New Calendar

Anna Frattini · 1 month ago · Photography

We attended the unveiling of Lavazza’s new calendar, a project that takes us into an uncharted Africa, brimming with energy, experimentation, and a forward-looking spirit influenced by its culture and the diverse communities that inhabit it. Three photographers collaborated on this year’s calendar: Thandiwe Muriu from Kenya, Aart Verrips from South Africa, and the latest addition, Daniel Obasi, whom we had the privilege to interview. The theme of Africa as the birthplace of coffee remains strong, linked to the Giuseppe and Pericle Lavazza Onlus Foundation, founded in 2004 and now involved in thirty-three projects across three continents. With Nigerian roots and a holistic approach to photography, Daniel Obasi is a creative talent who seamlessly blends fashion styling, cinema, photography, and art direction to create captivating and distinctly African narratives. Here’s our interview with him.

How did you first get into photography?
I started photography because of my background in design, and for a while, I also dabbled in fashion styling. That’s when I got into photography. Additionally, I had an eye for certain subjects, and the practice of photography attracted me in a unique way. Working with other people was often challenging for me, so I decided to learn how to take photos on my own to share my exact vision with the world. For me, it’s more about a concept and an idea, which is at the core of my holistic approach to creativity.

How do you manage to blend art direction, fashion photography, and your work as a director?
By approaching each practice in a holistic way and considering them as one, it’s easier to navigate. I don’t think of them as separate components but rather focus on the end goal.

How do you apply Afrocentrism to fashion photography? Can it be seen as the primary vehicle for promoting messages of inclusivity and cultural appreciation?
Absolutely. The concept of Afrocentrism and photography go hand in hand, and in this context, we can also recognize fashion as an art form. Moreover, you can see how it’s all connected to a certain cultural background. There’s also another aspect that brings a bit of your history into it. Of course, it’s not what’s needed in every shot, but in some cases, it gives you a good idea of the process behind the photos I take.

How did you accept the commission for Lavazza’s calendar project?
On an ordinary day, I received an email from Lavazza’s team. I waited for a week and then decided to propose the concept of working together, of unity. Everything started from the photos that depicted the young people together on the beach. I’m a big fan of simplicity, and sometimes the most astonishing images come from the simplest ideas. These images, which centralize the theme, are, in my opinion, the most powerful because beneath all those layers, the simple idea of working as one shines through.

What are your primary sources of inspiration in photography, cinema, and fashion?
My inspiration always changes depending on where I am. Currently, I’m more interested in architecture and composition, so I’m trying to improve the way I use space. I’m studying Bauhaus, Gothic architecture, and the movement. Additionally, choreography and contemporary dance – actually, all forms of dance – are a significant source of inspiration for me. Love, the idea of being loved, losing love, and being in love also fascinates me greatly at this moment.

Daniel Obasi’s Vision of Africa in Lavazza’s New Calendar
Photography
Daniel Obasi’s Vision of Africa in Lavazza’s New Calendar
Daniel Obasi’s Vision of Africa in Lavazza’s New Calendar
1 · 5
2 · 5
3 · 5
4 · 5
5 · 5
Baran’s emotional portraits

Baran’s emotional portraits

Collater.al Contributors · 1 month ago · Photography

Click when words fail is the name that the photographer Baran uses on social media and on her website. This phrase says a lot about her and her research. Words are often unable to return an emotion, communicate a feeling, or express it in the right terms. A photograph can do that. This happens to Mah (Baran) Mohammadasghari, a young Iranian photographer who immigrated to Canada, who begins to photograph as a therapeutic act. Her photographs, also published on Photo Vogue, are an authentic emotional and personal portrait. Her story and pain are reflected in every shot, whether it’s a self-portrait or a street photo. «I imagine my emotions and stories in a photographic way» says Baran that with her photographs she is able to convey human vulnerability and fragility.

Below each post of Baran, the photographer leaves a description always touching. A visual and narrative story of an emotion and it does so in a totally intimate and without filters. We had the pleasure of talking with her on the occasion of the exhibition Collater.al Photography held last September at the Fondazione Matalon in Milan. The story that communicates with the shot on display is emblematic of her photographic research. «This shot is part of a self-portrait project called Bereavement, which I started after my mother’s death five months ago. In this photo I am with my cat, Toranj, who has been with me for 14 years.» Baran tells us, «I adopted her when I was in Iran and she also immigrated to Canada with me. We spend a lot of time together, as in this photo, especially when I don’t feel good emotionally and she understands it perfectly and is with me as much as I want.» The loss of her mother and the pain she suffered are recurring in Baran’s shots, as in my mom is back as a bird – the shot published by Vogue – which tells the moment when “she saw her mother fly away from the window“. «I saw her flying out of the window… forever… and I died… forever… It was 3 AM or 2 AM… I do not really recall… two days ago … or three … well feels like… 2 million years ago in my scattered heart…»

Scatto in mostra a Collater.al Photography 2023
 
 
 
 
 
Visualizza questo post su Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Un post condiviso da Mah (Baran) Mohammadasghari (@clickwhenwordsfail)

Courtesy Baran

Baran’s emotional portraits
Photography
Baran’s emotional portraits
Baran’s emotional portraits
1 · 7
2 · 7
3 · 7
4 · 7
5 · 7
6 · 7
7 · 7
Fashion Photography According to Cindy Sherman

Fashion Photography According to Cindy Sherman

Anna Frattini · 1 month ago · Photography, Style

In Hamburg, there is an exhibition dedicated to Cindy Sherman‘s relationship with the world of fashion, titled ANTI-FASHION. The exhibition is taking place at the Falckenberg Collection, specifically at the Deichtor Hallen Internationale Kunst und Fotografie Hamburg. This exhibition traces the career and commissions of the American photographer by major brands and magazines. Chanel and Stella McCartney are just two of the brands that, along with some industry magazines, have commissioned Cindy Sherman for some of the photographs on display.

cindy sherman
 Untitled #462, 2007/2008 Private Collection Europe

The impressions created by Sherman in her photographs are far from glamorous, sexy, or elegant. Her work features subjects that are not traditionally desirable, and it certainly goes against the grain. Sherman uses fashion photography as a starting point to closely examine themes such as sex, gender, and age, demonstrating, but not limited to, these topics. Through the multitude of characters she portrays, Cindy Sherman shows us how the concept of identity is ever-changing and constantly evolving. In the accompanying critical text for the exhibition, the concept of (self-)constructed identity is discussed, which is a fluid concept that continues to challenge us even today.

cindy sherman
Untitled #602, 2019 Gilles Renaud Collection

There are numerous national and international contributions to this exhibition, the first dedicated to fashion in Cindy Sherman’s photographs. It includes 50 photographs from five decades of her career. ANTI-FASHION, curated by Alessandra Nappo, offers a unique opportunity to discover an unexpected aspect of Cindy Sherman, unveiling the influences and inspirations that the photographer has brought to the fashion world and how this influence continues to inspire entire generations of photographers.

cindy sherman
 Untitled #133, 1984 Staatsgalerie Stuttgart

The exhibition will remain open until March 3, 2024. Here you can find more informations on ANTI-FASHION.

ph. © Cindy Sherman

Fashion Photography According to Cindy Sherman
Photography
Fashion Photography According to Cindy Sherman
Fashion Photography According to Cindy Sherman
1 · 4
2 · 4
3 · 4
4 · 4