Shapes of Shelter
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A collaborative exhibition between artists from Namibia and Germany
he exhibition Shapes of Shelter deals with the concept of safe spaces. The term “safe space” has its origins in the movements of the 1960s in the USA and refers to a place where people who feel excluded in the prevailing society can find safety. To this day, it refers to underground clubs, hide- and hangouts or entire neighbourhoods that transform themselves at night and offer a place of community. The multi-media artists Maria Mbereshu and Janina Totzauer – from Namibia and Germany respectively – create their very own “Safe Space” in The Project Room over several weeks. The bidirectional discussion about their common colonial past and their two situations as women from different global hemispheres flow directly into the textile patterns created on site. Symbolic protection rituals and talismans are transferred into textiles and assembled into a huge carpet. The walls are adorned with Totzauer’s “Isles of Exile” – small multifunctional tents that may serve the viewer as secret places of escapism. Positioned in between, Mbereshu’s abstract textile patterns directly refer to her experiences as a woman, paying tribute to womanhood in all its beauty. On the evening of 6 December, we will have the opportunity to listen to three outstanding speakers in their fields at the
Isles of Exile by Janina Totzauer
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“Intimate Carpet”. Hermien Elago, Adriano Visagie and Natache Iilonga will summarise their current heart projects in short 20-minute slots. There will be time for questions, drinks and snacks during the non-hierarchical gathering on the carpet. Dates: Residency and artists’ time together at The Project Room: 21 November - 6 December, open to visitors daily from 10:00 to 13:00 and 15:00 to 18:00 Exhibition opening: 29 November, 18:00 Exhibition ends in February Intimate Carpet Talks: 6 December, 18:00
The Project Room - Namibia www.theprojectroom.com.na
Maria Mbereshu
