Artist and filmmaker Gernot Wieland (b. 1968 in Horn, Austria) works primarily with film and lecture performance to investigate psychological connections between society and people. His work focuses on narration and memory. The artist entwines personal and historical narratives with scientific facts, fictional and real elements with tragicomic events, developing stories that are humorous and touching in equal measure. He constructs the stories with the help of idiosyncratic, sometimes absurd juxtapositions of images and language. Wieland uses various visual techniques, from drawing, photography, Super 8 sequences, diagrams and clay animation to potato printing and watercolor, interwoven with the use of voice-over and music on the soundtrack. The techniques appear as approachable and personal as the content. Autobiographical and fictional elements merge to create a poetic space. The personal is combined with the political and slowly develops into an analysis of social norms and repression.
In his exhibition at Künstler:innenhaus Bremen, Wieland presents a new short film in a site-specific installation. The exhibition space is constricted by a wall that, like his films, is made of unpretentious materials in a do it yourself aesthetic, creating an oppressive feeling. The wall conceals further artistic contributions by Carla Åhlander, Jeroen Jacobs, Maxwell Stephens and the poet Lisa Robertson. They are linked to the film. Holes in the wall invite you to take a glimpse of them and search for connections.
Wieland opens up a space for reflection on the connections between personality development, family influences, social restrictions and institutions. What effects do images have on our memory? What role do images play in the formation of the psyche, the social and the political?
Curated by Nadja Quante
Gernot Wieland, b. 1968 in Horn/Austria, lives and works in Berlin and Brantevik/Sweden.
Solo Exhibitions (selection): 2025 Musée d’art moderne et contemporain, Strasbourg, France; 2023 Argos Centre for Audiovisual Arts, Brussels, Belgium; Belmacz, London, UK; 2022 KINDL – Centre for Contemporary Art, Berlin; 2021 Berlinische Galerie – Museum for Modern Art, Berlin; 2020 Salzburger Kunstverein, Salzburg; Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen, Switzerland.
Group Exhibitions (selection): 2024 Museum of the Moving Image, New York; 74th Berlinale – Berlin International Film Festival, Berlin; 2023 69th International Short Film Festival, Oberhausen; EMAF 36th European Media Art Festival, Osnabrück; 2018 Künstlerhaus, Bremen.
Awards (selection): 2023 Main Award of the German Competition at 69th International Short Film Festival, Oberhausen; 2022 German Short Film Award in the category experimental short film up to 30 minutes; 2019 EMAF Media Art Award of the German Film Critics at EMAF – European Media Art Festival, Osnabrück.
gernotwieland.com
Carla Åhlander, b. 1966 in Lund/Sweden, is an artist. She lives and works in Lund and Berlin. carlaahlander.com
Jeroen Jacobs, b. 1968, is an artist and furniture designer. He lives and works in Berlin. jeroenjacobs.com
Lisa Robertson is a poet, essayist and translator, b. 1961 in Canada, lives and works in France.
Maxwell Stephens (b. 1966 in Montreal/Canada, is an artist. He lives and works in Bremen. studiomaxwellstephens.net