This year there was also little reason for the cultural sector to celebrate. Despite the numerous restrictions in the past few months, many cultural professionals kept looking for creative ways to still offer culture to the people. This was also the case with the LICHTER Filmfest, which took place digitally this year. But there is another highlight in this year's LICHTER calendar: the anniversary of the LICHTER ART AWARDS!
For 10 years, this competition has been awarding prizes for contemporary video art as part of the film festival. This year, over 160 works from all over the world were submitted for the 1,000 euro prize. The works of the five nominated artists* will be on view in a curated exhibition at the premises of basis e.V. from December 10, 2020 to January 17, 2021 (Corona restrictions permitting, which of course we all hope). In addition, there will be a retrospective of the video art of the winning and finalist*s of past years at the LAA Retro Kino.
The finalists' selected works - ranging from documentaries to essay films, animations to fictional and real-life narratives - were chosen by a three-person jury consisting of artist Natasha A. Kelly, Gerhard Wissner Ventura, director of the Kassel Dokfest, and Saul Judd, senior curator LICHTER Art Award. They deal with social and political conflicts and provide insights into social phenomena of our present and past.
The nominees are:
Vanessa Gravenor // This Weapon Drags Like a Boomerang, 2019 (CDN/D)
Constantin Hartenstein // NARC, 2019 (D) // Installation
Florencia Levy // Fossil Place, 2019 (ARG) // Installation
Pol Merchan // Pirate Boys, 2018 (E/D)
Maria Molina Peiró // The Sasha, 2019 (E/NL)
LAA Retro Cinema // Looking back at the finalists* of the last years
In addition to the works of the five finalists*, the exhibition will feature a selection of works from nine years of the LICHTER Art Award.
Among the featured artists* whose works from nine years of LICHTER Art Award will be on view as part of the exhibition are Luciana Lamonthe (ARG; LAA 2011 winner), Hanna Hildebrand (CH/D), Rebecca Ann Tess (D), Yuki Kishino (J), Sabine Loew (D), John Skoog (S/D, LAA 2013 winner), Clementine Coupau (F), Murray Gaylard (SA/D), Luiz Roque (BR), Betrand Flanet (F/D; LAA 2014 winner), Mandy Krebs (D), Alina Vasilchenko (RUS), Zanny Begg (AUS), Holger Jenss (D), Luzie Meyer (D), Stefan Ramirez Pérez (D), Ingel Vaikla (EST/B), Jonathan Van Essche (B, winner of LAA 2015), Fabiano Mixo (BRA/G), Yalitsa Rider (CDN), Sita Scherer and Tina Schönfelder (D), James N. Kienitz Wilkins (US; 2016 LAA winner), Tobi Sauer (D; 2017 LAA winner), Nikita Diakur (RU/D), Jakob Engel (D; 2018 LAA winner), Endre Aalrust (D/N), Andrew de Freitas (CDN/BRA; 2019 LAA winner), Natasha A. Kelly (D) and Lisa Kori (US).
In addition, works by artists and former jury members Judith Hopf, Mathilde Ter-Heyne, Tamara Grcic and Natasha A. Kelly.
Award ceremony and vernissage
To launch the exhibition, the jury will present the LICHTER Art Award on December 10 at 7 pm at the premises of basis e. V.. The award ceremony will be broadcast online.
The vernissage already opens at 3 pm. The exhibition closes at 8 pm.
Venue:
basis e. V., Gutleutstraße 8 - 12, 60329 Frankfurt am Main
Admission free
Opening hours
Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, 12 p.m.-6 p.m.
Planned exhibition period: 10.Dec. 2020 - Jan. 17, 2021 / Winter break: Dec. 24, 2020 - Jan. 04, 2021
