In the still waters of memory, from the fog and riverbanks, the past breathes life into the present, woven from myth and forgotten lives. Beneath the surface, whispers of violence and exile linger as fragments of identity rise and collide, silenced voices returning to expose the cracks beneath polished facades and confront us with the stories we often choose to forget. Through the tales of ancient monsters and the journey of archaeological treasures, we unearth the complexities of our shared humanity, revealing how these interconnected narratives shape the world we inhabit today. (Zeinah Kamel)
A 4,000-year-old aquatic monster is rendered invisible in present-day Turkey. Its myth dates back to the ancestors of Armenians and Kurds around Lake Van, a region that witnessed the ethnic cleansing of both peoples. However, the monster remains somewhat alive in the tales of the inhabitants, resisting falling entirely into oblivion. In this blue landscape, on the crossroads of mythological, political, and personal realms, different forms of erasure are concealed. Meanwhile, old gods are upset with us, and I am upset with my father.
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Nominated:
Goldener Key
Through the lenses of photography at an archaeological site in the Khabur River valley, the narrative traces Tell Halaf's collection which has been residing in Berlin since 1930. The journey of artifacts that resonate with the land where the longest tributary of the Euphrates winds between Turkey and Northeastern Syria reveals threads of violence intricately woven through time along the river, illuminating the economic and political currents that reshape the valley’s landscape.
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- Director: Nafis Fathollahzadeh
Everything that appears self-evident and normal today once came into being. The essay performance video questions the artistic field by historicizing it and suggests a different context of origin than those usually considered. Specifically, the first public exhibitions of contemporary art in mid-18th century London as well as the episodes and circumstances leading up to them. Historical texts are recited by a cast whose speaking positions differ from those of the sources' authors. By using performance as a means of repetition with a difference, the work addresses the complex legacy positions produced by art’s institutionalised structures.
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- Director: Vika Kirchenbauer
