(Scroll down for English) Zu den Tagen des Offenen Ateliers Brandenburg 2017 (6 & 7Mai) werde ich auch die Türen zu meinem Atelier öffnen und lade euch herzlich ein vorbei zu kommen.
Für zwei Tage bin ich ganz für meine Gäste da. Ihr könnt durch meine Arbeit stöbern und sehen wie und wo ich arbeite. Ich freue mich auch auf interessanten und geselligen Austausch und Gespräche. Am Samstag gibt es außerdem noch eine Vorführung von dem Film ‚An Infinite Scream’ über mein Land Art Projekt in Namibia.
Die Tage des Offenen Ateliers sind eine spannende Initiative wo hunderte Künstler in Brandenburg ihre Ateliers öffnen. So kann man sich in diesen Tagen mehrere Ateliers in einer Gegend ansehen. Um einen spanenden Ausflug zu planen, könnt ihr in dieser Broschüre Offene Ateliers 2017 Brandenburg sehen, welche anderen Künstler in der Gegend mitmachen. (Oranienburg ist auf Seiten 56-58 zu finden.)
Ich freue mich auf euern Besuch!
Diese Einladung darf gerne geteilt werden.
Offene Ateliers Brandenburg 2017 Imke Rust
Atelier Imke Rust Malerei, Zeichnung, Land Art, Multimedia
Öffnungszeiten:
11-18 Uhr am Sa und So, den 6. und 7. Mai
Samstag, 6. Mai, 17h30: Dokumentarfilm über Imke Rusts Land Art Projekt ‘An Infinite Scream’ in Namibia (Deutsch, 45min)
I am participating in the 2017 Open Studio Days Brandenburg (6 & 7 May) and you are invited!
For two days I am opening the doors to my studio to the public, so that you can get see where and how I am working, browse through my artworks and enjoy a chat with me. On Saturday evening we will also screen the documentary film ‘An Infinite Scream’ about my Land Art project in Namibia.
The Open Studio Days are a great initiative where hundred of artists in Brandenburg are opening their studios and you can plan an excursion for the day, visiting several different artists in the area. Have a look at who else is opening their studios in our area to plan your day in this brochure Offene Ateliers 2017 Brandenburg (Page 56-58 shows the artists in Oranienburg).
I am looking forward to welcoming you in my studio!
Do you also have the feeling that your life has become so busy, that you have no time for all the stuff you want to do? Or to read all the blogs you are subscribed to?
The first quarter of the year is almost passed and somehow I have neglected my blog. Well, many things are happening and keeping me busy – which is mostly good news. Another reason is that with so many things, which are happening on all fronts (personal, family, political, career etc), I am left with so many impressions, thoughts, ideas, questions… It feels as if I have so much to say and to share, and yet I do not know where to start. It feels as if I would need another lifetime to sort all ideas and find the right way to share them. Or a personal assistant… Or a way to magically write down all that is in my mind within a few hours.
So I am trying to navigate these times, which feel chaotic and alive, terrifying and promising at the same time, as best and honestly as I can. To live each moment more consciously and deliberately waiting to find clarity, allowing life to unfold its plan at its own pace. I am considering writing shorter, but more frequent blogs… let’s see if that is a better way to deal with my and your busy life and still stay in touch.
A quick update:
My exhibition in Munich has just finished. It was very well visited and the highlight was, that a friend has organised for me to fly to Munich and talk about my art to interested guests in a guided tour of my exhibition. I really enjoy that direct contact with the people who are interested my art. Most of my art is filled with layers of meaning and thoughts, and people have commented how enriching they find to look at the art, and then additionally hear me talk about it.
Here are a few impressions from the exhibition and the guided tour (Click on the images for a larger view and description):
In front of the work ‘The Horse is a Problem. The Horse Must Go.’
Being introduced by Carola von Maltzahn
Talking about the artworks ‘Götterdämmerung’ (above left), Promises of Death (below left) and Digging up Old Bones (right).
3 works from the Farm Life series.
Land Art works from ‘An Infinite Scream’
Power Play (Brothers & Sistahs)
Exhibition View
The event has been organized by Carola von Maltzahn from http://www.vonmaltzahn.net/ and Christian Bräuer from Art Dine & Table – Die Kunstpatrouille (www.christian-braeuer.de) Photos: Carola von Maltzahn.
I had another exhibition opening in March, at the Museum auf der Hardt, Wuppertal.
The exhibition and screening of the documentary film about my land art project ‘An Infinite Scream’ was part of a Symposium organized by the Vereinte Evangelische Mission.
Here are some images from the exhibition, opening and film screening. Photos by Ramona Hedtmann, VEM and myself.
What Will be Left (Tourist Map with all currently awarded Exclusive Prospecting licenses cut out)
Dorob (NOT)4Sale
Concession Areas (Top and middle) and ‘Repeating the Same Mistakes (Modern Maharero)’
Archival photograph from colonial times
Repeating the Same Mistakes (Modern Maharero) – an artwork commenting on selling off land and rights for immideatey gain and power.
Introduction by Ms Julia Besten and Mr Uli Baege from VEM
Speaking about my art
Guests getting ready for the screening of the documentary film ‘An Infinite Scream’
Talking to guests
Exhibition view
Art works from my Land Art project ‘An Infinite Scream’
the official photo with my artwork
The symposium included presentations and discussions, and I was very happy and honoured to meet the main speaker, Mr Henning Melber (right)
Only shortly before the event, I realised that I have a much deeper connection to this museum and place than I could have imagined. My Great-Great-Grandfather Eduard Dannert and Great-Grandfather August Kuhlmann were both missionaries in Namibia and were sent by this very same institution to Africa. Needless to say, the museum and archives have lots of information, documentation and objects from these ancestors of mine, like for instance the sewing machine of my Great-Grandmother… and this sewing machine, together with a letter which August Kuhlmann wrote to General von Trotha trying to convince him to treat the Herero people more humanly were exhibited in the same space, next to my political works. What an honour and humbling experience.
Life… This is the sewing machine of my great-grandmother, Elizabeth Kuhlmann. It has been donated to the Museum auf der Hardt in Wuppertal some years ago by a distant relative/aunt. NOW I am going to exhibit in exactly this museum, with my artwork in the same room as my great-grandmother’s sewing machine. Such an unexpected surprise! And weird coincidence to find this connection in Wuppertal.
I have spent 2 days in the archives of the ‘Vereinte Evangelishe Mission’ who have a vast amount of old documents from the missionary activities in Namibia (amongst others). I could page through hundreds of letters and reports written by my great-great-grandfather, my grand-father and some from their wifes. So interesting and informative. I have been so grateful for the people who have already researched and typed some of the information, as the old German lettering and handwriting is damn difficult to decipher. Seeing history through the eyes of my own ancestors is so helpful and interesting, giving a very personal account of how they saw the world and how and why they acted the way they did. I feel blessed to have so much information about my ancestors, not only within the family, but also, additionally in well-organized and accessible archives. And I could see that my ancestors already questioned what was happening and tried to get involved as best they can, given their circumstances. Missionary August Kuhlmann (my great-grandfather) wrote several letters to von Trotha and von Lindequist, pleading and arguing for a more humane and fair treatment of the Herero people. This photo is from one such letter displayed in the museum currently.
My ancestors who first came to southwest Africa in 1874. Missionary Dannert and his wife Auguste (Dahl) and a daughter. The curator Museum auf der Hardt has decided to add some links from the archives related to my ancestors to the exhibition. Like this photo. I notice the love of cats goes back a few generations.
If you happen to be in Wuppertal, you are welcome to view the exhibition. It is still on till the 4th of April. More information, directions and opening times: http://www.vemission.org/museumarchive.html
I am so excited that spring seems to have finally arrived! After so much political art and talk, I felt like painting something light and colourful, to welcome spring.
PRESSEMITTEILUNG / PRESS RELEASE
(For information in German, please scroll down)
If you are in Munich, you soon have a chance to view a large series of my work under the title: The Horse is a Problem. The Horse Must Go. It will be exhibited in the Pasinger Fabrik, as part of a large event organized by the German- Namibian Association (DNG). They will also show their documentative traveling exhibition about the work they are doing and landscape photography by Helmuth Gries. The program entails even more, such as a podiumdiscussion with the Namibian Ambassador to Germany and Namibian movie nights. The exhibition will be opened on the 9th of February and will run till the 26th of March.
If you would like more information in English, please contact me.
Dokumentation – Fotografie – Malerei – Objekte
10.02. – 26.03.2017
Vernissage: 09.02.2017, 19.00 Uhr
Eröffnung durch den Botschafter der Republik Namibia Andreas Guibeb
10.02.2017 19.00 Uhr Podiumsdiskussion mit dem Botschafter der Republik Namibia Andreas Guibeb und Andreas Herbig, Vertreter der Deutsch-Namibischen Gesellschaft
26.03.2017, 18.00 Uhr Kuratorenführung mit Andreas Herbig, Vertreter der Deutsch-Namibischen Gesellschaft
Imke Rust: The Horse is a Problem. The Horse Must Go.
Imke Rusts Arbeiten zeigen kein gewöhnliches Namibiabild. Die gebürtige deutsch-Namibierin drückt durch ihre vielseitige und eigenwillige Bildsprache ihre eigene komplexe Beziehung zu ihrem Heimatland aus. Sie kratzt an der oberflächlichen ‚Postkarten’ Wahrnehmung und hinterfragt und kommentiert auf ihre individuelle Weise die Vergangenheit und Gegenwart Namibias. In ihren Arbeiten sind das Persönliche, das Politische und Existentielle untrennbar miteinander verknüpft. So unterschiedlich wie ihre Beobachtungen ist auch ihre Ausdrucksweise: mal leicht, mal kräftig. Humorvoll und dann wieder aufschreckend ernst führt sie uns durch ihre Welt.
Die Land Art und multimediale Künstlerin Imke Rust pendelt seit sechs Jahren zwischen ihrer Heimat Namibia und Deutschland, zwischen Wüste und Wald. An der Universität von Südafrika absolvierte sie ihr BA-Degree in Visual Art und ist zweimalige Gewinnerin des wichtigsten Kunstpreises Namibias, der Standard Bank Namibia Biennale. In zahlreichen Solo- und Gruppenausstellungen wurden ihre Arbeiten weltweit ausgestellt. Über ein Stipendium des Deutschen Akademischen Austauschdienstes (DAAD) kam sie 2006 das erste Mal nach Berlin.
Namibia und Deutschland – Aktuelle Aspekte einer besonderen Beziehung
Namibia – ein Land, das nicht nur auf Grund seiner atemberaubenden Landschaften und Tierwelt, sondern auch wegen seiner politischen Stabilität ein sehr beliebtes Reiseziel der Deutschen ist. Seit der Unabhängigkeit im März 1990 festigen Beschlüsse des Deutschen Bundestages das Sonderverhältnis beider Länder. Die bilateralen Beziehungen werden an Beispielen aus Politik, Gesellschaft, Wissenschaft, Kultur und Tourismus in dieser Ausstellung veranschaulicht.
Die Wanderausstellung ist ein Projekt der Deutsch-Namibischen Gesellschaft (DNG), die auf eine fast 40-jährige Arbeit im Zusammenspiel Namibias und Deutschland zurück blicken kann. Die DNG unterstützt Projekte in Namibia und fördert den Jugend- und Kulturaustausch.
In der gezeigten Wanderausstellung werden das Land Namibia und seine engen vielfältigen Beziehungen zu Deutschland gezeigt.
Der Betrachter erfährt in der Ausstellung Wissenswertes über die Geographie, die faszinierende Geologie, Flora und Fauna, die Bevölkerung, die Gesellschaft und die aktuellen politischen Gegebenheiten. In einem kleinen historischen Teil wird der Werdegang vom deutschen Schutzgebiet zum heutigen Staat Namibia gezeigt, in dem Deutsch unter anderen immer noch eine anerkannte Sprache ist.
Helmut Gries, geb. 1955 in Deutschland und Fotograf vor allem für Naturbilder, hat vor 20 Jahren Namibia für sich entdeckt und für die Ausstellung in der Pasinger Fabrik eine Auswahl mit unterschiedlichsten Aspekten des Landes zusammengestellt.
Fasziniert von Land, Leuten und Natur bereist er den „Diamanten Afrikas“ inzwischen regelmäßig. Auf 36 Reisen hat er inzwischen mehr als 100.000 km mit dem Auto zurückgelegt, viele Flugkilometer in entlegene Regionen mit Kleinflugzeugen absolviert, die zentrale Bergwelt auf dem Rücken eines Dromedars erkundet und die wasserreichen Gebiete entlang der Grenzen zu Angola und Botswana in Booten durchstreift. Ausgedehnte Wanderungen haben ihn mehrfach in den Fish River Canyon und in die Weiten der Wüste Namib geführt, die er 2015 zu Fuß vom Sossusvlei bis zum Atlantischen Ozean durchquert hat.
Sein Fotoarchiv über Landschaften, Tiere und Menschen umfasst Zehntausende von Aufnahmen. Die Motive lichtet er mit digitalen Spiegelreflexkameras von Nikon und Objektiven von Nikon und Sigma mit Brennweiten zwischen 10 mm und 600 mm ab. Seine eindrucksvollen Fotografien werden neben einem seit 2001 jährlich erscheinenden Fotokalender, in Magazinen und Reisekatalogen sowie auf Postkarten und Websites veröffentlicht. Inzwischen sind auch zwei Bildbände über den Süden und den Norden Namibias erschienen. Im Rahmen seiner Aktivitäten in der Deutsch-Namibischen Gesellschaft e.V. stellt Helmut Gries das faszinierende Land im Südwesten Afrikas regelmäßig in Audiovisionsshows vor.
Weitere Informationen:
Thomas Linsmayer
Ausstellungsleitung/Verwaltung
Pasinger Fabrik Kultur- und Bürgerzentrum GmbH
Eine Einrichtung der Landeshauptstadt München
August-Exter-Straße 1
D 81245 München
Tel +49 (0)89 829290 -13
Fax +49 (0)89 829290 -99
t.linsmayer@pasinger-fabrik.com
Travelling by ferry with some of the participating artists on a cold and rainy day.
Finally… I am making the time to share with you the fruits of my time in South Africa as an invited participant of the Global Nomadic Art Project 2016 South Africa. I had such a rich and productive time there, that I slightly shied away from writing about it – I just did not know where to start.
The GNAP ‘Stories of Rain’ Art Project was an incredible journey through South Africa’s landscapes, myths and lively land art scene. Very well organized and carefully planed, we were treated to so many different places, warm hospitality, creative time in nature and an exciting selection of fellow artists. I appreciated the constantly changing small groups in which we travelled. They enabled us to meet so many local and international artists, exchange ideas and create together in a very unique way. Thank you to the GNAP team for this very special platform and project and thank you to all the many South African organizers, especially Strijdom van der Merwe and Anni Snyman, who made the South African leg of the journey such a memorable one!
I have decided to split all my artworks into smaller groups and introduce them to you in separate blog posts. Trying to keep each one short and sweet, but still let you in on my ideas and thoughts as much as possible.
During the ‚Stories of Rain’ Art Project I continued with my rainmaker project and research. Can we create rain through a conscious and intentional creative process? I have used the surrounding landscapes and materials to explore different ideas from creating clouds out of stones or mud, performing a cloud dance and working with the idea of female tears being conducive to calling the rain.
First I will share with you one of my more familiar looking rainmaker works:
The final Rainmaker Cloud, Porcupine Hills made with earth pigment
In the following gallery I will share with you the story of how I created this artwork and rainmaker and show prove of the rain that followed. (Click to see larger versions of the images)
Collecting red pigment from the earth
Grinding pigments for my artwork
Making paint from earth pigments
Learning new skills, from Cha Davenport, our wonderful host and fellow artist. Together with Chris Lochner (botanical artist)
Painting on a rock on a very steep rockface
Close-up
Finally an offering of water to give thanks for the coming rain.
Close up of the water wetting the rock, lichen and small plants.
Me and the finished rainmaker cloud.
The final Rainmaker Cloud, Porcupine Hills made with earth pigment
First clouds appearing on the blue sky
Porcupine Hills – a beautiful place to stay – View from the Rainmaker Cloud towards our accommodation
Inspiration for the clay pigment painting coming from the walls of the Porcupine Hills guest farm.
Porcupine Hills – a beautiful place to stay
The rain always came, perfectly timed, when we were on the road again… here is the photo prove.
The rain always came, perfectly timed, when we were on the road again… here is the photo prove with a rainbow.
I loved the stay here! Thank you to our hosts Cha and Tony Davenport are such wonderful people and made us feel perfectly at home. The place is great – recommending it fully if you would like to break away from the city for a weekend or longer!
Porcupine Hills offers self-catering guest accommodation and boutique olive oil. Close to Cape Town (100km) but a world away from city and suburban life. This is the perfect place to escape into nature and spend time in a quiet, tranquil and beautiful space.
The underlying farm “Diepklowe” is a Private Nature Reserve within the van der Stel Cluster (four neighbouring conservation farms) and is designated as a Cape Nature Stewardship Programme area. It is a core member of the Groenlandberg Conservancy.
The farm was acquired in 2012 by Tony and Cha Davenport and their two sons, Justin and Tobin.
I am busy packing. Nervous and excited. In a few days I will be leaving to South Africa, where I am taking part in the
Global Nomadic Art Project 2016
‘Stories of Rain’
Calling the Rainbird by Imke Rust, Mixed Media on paper, 62x87cm
I am so thrilled to be invited to participate alongside so many other wonderful artists from all over the world and South Africa.
This project is especially close to my heart, as it will give me the opportunity to further my creative rainmaking research and projects, share with and learn from very interesting fellow artists and do all this very close to home. I have so many ideas and researched material, which I want to explore further and put to use now.
Typed Rain (on photograph) by Imke Rust
As soon as I can, I will share a blog post about my experience for all you lovely people who follow me on here! I also plan to post regular pictures and updates on Instagram (This is like an instant photoalbum and I just love it. Bonus: you do not need to have an account to see my page) and Facebook (for shorter, more regular posts and pictures). You can also see previews of both these pages in the right-hand column >> .
So, if you are curious, you are welcome to follow my adventures there too. We will not have regular internet connection, but when we do, I hope to share impressions and updates.
Here is some more information about the event compiled by the organizers:
Stories of Rain – Map
#GNAP2016 #StoriesOfRain #SouthAfrica
Stories of Rain will trace the legacy of the first nomadic peoples, creating temporary nature art in response to the varied landscapes and the World Heritage Rock Art of South Africa.
In this time of palpable climate change, we find ourselves at the cusp of profound natural and cultural transformation. The dual disciplines of creative imagination and mediated thinking practiced by artists will be extremely valuable in this transition. The Global Nomadic Art Project offers local artists the opportunity to influence contemporary cultural attitudes towards nature and to explore possibilities for understanding in an increasingly fractured paradigm.
Site_Specific Land Art Collective will invite 8 International artists to join several custom made Nature Art tours of South Africa as part of the Global Nomadic Art Project initiated by YATOO Nature Art Association of Korea. The visiting artists will travel along different routes in small groups – meeting and staying with local participating artists along the way.
To find out more and also read up on my fellow artists who will be part of this event, please visit the official page: Webpage: SiteSpecific South Africa GNAP
And/or follow the Facebook Page for this event: Stories of Rain
Stories of Rain – South Africa
The Rainmakeress (Imke Rust) Acrylic and graphite on paper 105x130cm
Still image of ‘Toxic Water’ video artwork by Imke Rust
How awesome is that? My video work has been selected for the Geumgang Nature Art Biennale 2016 (Video exhibition)!
I am so excited that ‘Toxic Water’ is currently shown in the Republik of Korea till the end of November 2016. If you happen to be around that part of the world, go and have a look!
My apologies for the having been pretty quiet in the past few months and now sending you some updates in a shorter time. I have planned another über-exciting one for Monday, so please bear with me. Things have been hectic and difficult on many fronts, but much has also led up to all the exciting prospects happening in my career at the moment.
I am so grateful for your continued interest and support and did not want you to miss out on this news. 🙂
Geumgang Nature Art Biennale – Invitation
Here are some behind-the-scenes images from the making of the video art work. Please click on the images to see a larger version:
69 Strands of (be)Longing, Fake and natural hair, branch and wire. Artwork created by Imke Rust at the ILAM, May 2016
In May I had been in Maastricht as an invited artist to the International Land Art Maastricht Symposium. I had shared some pictures from this wonderful event together with an invitation to come and see the results, but I have not had the time to tell you more about the artwork that I created there. So today I would like to share with you some thoughts and images, especially for those of you, who could not see the work in person.
Artists were asked to propose an artwork that they would create in the park of the Chateau Jerusalem. The theme of the symposium was ‘Connected’. We had five days to complete the work, which then was on exhibition for the following two weeks.
This is the concept, which I originally formulated for my plans:
“I am exploring the ‘Connected’ theme through a material that everybody connects to African women: long, black braided hair. Although they usually are made out of fake artificial material, they have come to represent a certain identity (African), but at the same time they are also an imitation of another identity (western, long, smooth hair). In so many ways they are connecting different worlds. To me they are also a strong metaphor for belonging and identity. Hair and braids can also be used as ropes to climb to another life (Rapunzel), and relate to the migration of refugees to Europe.
As a white African I am intrigued by working with this fake hair, as a form to express the duality and paradox of my own identity and belonging. The combination of synthetic and natural materials, illusions created and the process of braiding are additional aspects, which I want to explore.”
69 Strands of (be)Longing, Fake and natural hair, branch and wire. Artwork created by Imke Rust at the ILAM, May 2016
I had some vague ideas of how I wanted to proceed, but since I have not seen the park and have never worked in this material before, I decided to stay open and flexible and just trust the process.
When I arrived there and saw all the grand and impressive plans from the other artists, my heart sunk. Maybe my work was too timid, too small, too unspectacular? And what if it does not work out in any way I had imagined? I had no chance to try it out before, so either it worked or it would fail… What could I do, besides just start and hope for the best? I started and was flooded with even more doubts. Am I allowed, as a white woman to make art with this kind of hair, which usually is only used by black women? Could I even dream of braiding as neatly and perfectly as those hairdressers back home in Namibia do? Aren’t they the real artists who can make the most stunning patterns and styles for their customers? Who am I to now want to use this method and material to create my art?
Well, I had a lot of time to think, while I braided. And every time the doubts and insecurities became too strong, I heard the inner voice saying: Just trust the process.
I remembered that one of the reasons why I initially wanted to work with braiding, was the repetitive process itself. Somehow it is a process that is fairly easy, but demands just enough concentration and focus, that you have to stay in the here and now, but also leaves enough space for your mind to relax and wander off into thoughts that you usually are too busy for.
This work quickly became much more about that process and the inner dialogue that happened, than the final physical artwork. For five days I just sat there, under a beautiful tree, in the middle of the park and braided. I got to understand how this synthetic material reacted to humidity, dryness, wind and weather. How it sometimes could be so stubborn and putting up a real fight to get under control, and other times it just flowed through my fingers as if it was the most natural thing to happen. I became calm and looked forward to my work and every next strand.
My thoughts turned to my first memories of braiding. When I was a young girl, it was my father who braided my hair every day. And it was also he, who taught me how to braid. And I was so proud, that I even knew (from him) how to braid with more than 3 strands. While everybody looked at braiding as a typical female activity, I connected it to my father. And yet, it was my mother who had to go and buy the fake hair in Namibia (yes, these hairs were made in Namibia and sent all the way to Germany), so it was kind of a family effort that ensured I could sit in Maastricht in a park and braid ‘my’ hair.
Masculine and feminine… control and wildness… order and chaos… expectations and reality… appearance and authenticity… there were so many concepts that flowed into and through my being and into the braids (or did it flow out of them or the process?) while I was working.
Process, process…
…and more process
With every next strand I had another chance of flowing. The focus changing and shifting… With every movement I moved on, the strand started, got longer and longer, and then, suddenly it reached the end.
I made a rough knot into the strand to keep it from coming undone and originally thought I will melt the ends to make a neat and proper ending. After a few strands with wild and chaotic knotted ends, I noticed the beauty, the wildness and the dynamic of these endings, the contrast to the neat braids… and decided to leave them just like that.
Wild, knotted ends
Wild, knotted ends
Through folding thin strands of hair over each other again and again… the central aspect became more obvious for me. With every movement there was a longing. A longing to come to the end, but also a longing for so much more… To belong, to understand, to control, to find the balance, to find a (my) place … to just be.
Where do I belong? To my home country, where I am too white in the eyes of many? Or to Germany, where I appear (on the first outer impression) to rather belong, but where I am a stranger? Do I ‘belong’ to be more controlled, or more wild? To fit better into the pattern of society or do my ends just come loose anyway?
Click on the images below to see a larger view and read about some further details.
Close-up look of the glittering strands…
In the background you see a tall building, which used to be a prison. Now it is housing asylum seekers… another strong connection to my work. Longing for a better life… or Rapunzel, who braided her hair to have a way out of the tower she was held prisoner in.
Even the haning branch tries to belong to the tree, by immitating the shape and bend of the larger branch, to which it is connected through strong red wire.
I have braided my own hair (red) into the fake hair. Because, like always, this work is very much about me and my personal relation to the world around me. Even my personal hair is artificially dyed.
Braiding, braiding, braiding… in 5 days I managed to braid 69 long strands. I managed to contain my sadness in these braids, to reassess the world and my ideas about it and to learn that I can and should just trust the process. The process of an artwork, but also the process of life…
Life is like these strands. Every day you begin with a new one, a new chance. You do your best to get as far as possible. But in the end it does not matter how far you come and how many days you get. What matters is your experience and your insights, your joy, but also your struggles and what you have learned through them.
Trust the process…
Here is a video taking you around the final artwork. In the photos one aspect gets lost, and that is how alive this work seems. How it dances and moves in the wind. The video gives you a small impression of that.
I have been invited to participate in the International Land Art Maastricht 2016 Symposium along with 13 other artists from the Euregio.
For one week we are creating land art works in the park of the Chateau Jerusalem in Maastricht and we are having a lot of fun.
On Saturday (14th of May, 16:00) everybody is invited to view the results of this symposium at the official opening of the exhibition. If you are nearby I would love to see you and show you the works that have been created. More information in the flyer below. (Click on image to see a larger version).
Invitation ILAM 2016
And here you can see some images of the symposium and work in progress: (Please click on the images to see a larger view and descriptions)
Hair everywhere….
Braiding my african fake hair and my own dyed hair together
Working in the green park, mediative braiding…
My work in progress
Imke Rust: work in progress
Detail view
Uta and Marjo in the bushes
artists at work
Break
Natahsa at work
Uta viewing my work
View…
Urban at work
Barbara at work
Carla at work
Taking a break
artists at work
It has been raining and Barbara has become an african look-alike
Dinner – yummy
After the work…
Uta fishing in the lake
Emmy, Sjoerd at the presentations
Uta presenting her work
Mirijam and me at the presentations
Mirijam, Natasha, Emmy and Barbara at the presentations
Blue Sphere 2, carefully allowed installation in the branches between two trees in the forest, by Imke Rust
Creation is about allowing
– not about going out and doing.
Recently I found this quote and it made me stop in my tracks. Coming from a society and background where doing is considered the highest virtue, this thought seemed so out-of-place and plain presumptuous. Yet, I could not dismiss it, as it also stirred something deep inside of me.
For one, I realised some time ago, that doing is not always the answer. I have written about this idea before HERE.
But even more importantly I was struck by the ‘allowing’ part. When we grow up, our life is filled and directed with an endless list of do’s and don’ts… In my younger years, I was convinced if I just learn this list and follow it to perfection, I would be happy, and so would be everybody around me. Because I was doing things right… Later in life, I realised that this list became more and more complicated and it was not always possible to separate clearly between the do’s and don’ts. This realisation was confusing and also depressing, because my neatly arranged roadmap to life seemed to be crumbling and I had nothing to hold on to anymore that would guide me along.
Allowing…
Wow, what a big concept.
In life. In creativity. In love. In believes.
What would happen if we allowed more and were less constricted by the do’s and don’ts?
Allowing… the creative process of the universe, of life, to happen, without the need to control it.
It is a difficult concept to grasp (at least for me). And I guess I will be allowing myself to ponder on this much more. And allowing the creative process more and more, instead of trying to go out and ‘doing’.
And as if the universe wanted to let me know that it was serious about this, it send some sunshine on Saturday and nudged me to go out and explore a new part of the forest. Allowing myself a break, with no responsibilities or work to do. I was so deeply touched by the spirit of the forest, the cold, fresh air, nature’s first slow attempts at spring coming, the sunlight playing hide and seek and the majesty of the trees…
I took some pictures. And when I arrived home and downloaded them onto the computer, I realised that without any intention or doing on my part, a special moment was created and captured. Yes, it is just the flare of sunlight hitting my camera, but it is also magical. As if a sphere of blue light has been installed perfectly between the trees… and documented.
If you just allow yourself to imagine that this was a carefully created art installation.
Blue Sphere 1 & 2, carefully allowed installation in the branches between two trees in the forest, by Imke Rust
Here are some upcoming events, where you can see or experience my art:
One of my artworks (Happy Mongoose, 2015, Mixed Media on Canvas, 112 x 145cm) has been selected for the Art Inside Project and exhibition at the National Art Gallery of Namibia. You are welcome to the opening this week Thursday! If you cannot make it then, the exhibition runs till the 23rd of April 2016.
Happy Mongoose
OPENING DATE 24 March 2016 OPENING TIME 18:00 VIEWING 24 March – 23 April 2016 VENUE NAGN
Press information about the project and exhibition from the National Art Gallery of Namibia:
“The project Art Inside, which was first launched in 2014, is a nationwide art awareness project aimed at Namibian Government. The initiative aims at acquiring original Namibian visual art for installation in all Ministries and semi-government premises. By installing the artworks, the project aims to celebrate visual art as an important mode of creative communication, and to foster an appreciation for visual art as inherent part of government’s working environment.
In the previous editions Namibian artists from all Regions have responded positively by submitting inspiring art and craftwork of an exceptional quality for this project. From these, the best pieces were first exhibited at the NAGN and then purchased for the Government of Namibia Art Collection.
The Art inside 2016 exhibition will run from 24th March to 23rd April 2016 at the National Gallery of Namibia.”
*************
And save the date if you are in Germany and interested to participate in a special Land Art Workshop which I am offering in conjunction with the Fair Camp Berlin program:
Wann: So. 24. April 2016, ca. 13 bis 18 Uhr inkl. Mittagessen, Wo: bei Oranienburg
Die FÜLLE in Dir: Raus in die Natur! Rein in die Seele. Sehnen sie sich auch nach neuem Ausdruck, Natur und kreativem Schaffen? Der Frühling ist die perfekte Zeit auch unsere Seele aufblühen zu lassen und neue Impulse in unser Leben zu bringen. Lust auf etwas Neues und eine Auszeit vom Alltag? Dann lade ich sie herzlich ein, gemeinsam mit mir die Fülle, ihre Kreativität und die Natur neu zu entdecken. Wir kreieren, gestalten und experimentieren mit und in der Natur und lernen dabei unsere eigene innere Fülle und die der Natur bewusster zu erleben und auszudrücken.
Sie brauchen keine Vorkenntnisse, nur Offenheit, Freude an der Natur und Lust sich auszuprobieren. Als deutsch-namibische multimediale Künstlerin und Regenmacherin freue mich darauf, sie dabei zu begleiten und inspirieren zu dürfen. Imke Rust
Dieser Workshop ist der Arbeit in und mit der Natur gewidmet. Aber vor allem soll er die spielerische Kreativität, den persönlichen Ausdruck und die Freude am Schaffensprozess anregen. Wir werden die meiste Zeit draußen im Wald verbringen. Falls das Wetter nicht mitspielt, arbeiten wir mit Naturmaterialien im Atelier. Alles ist in kurzer Laufentfernung.
Bei Ankunft gibt es ein Mittagsmahl, eine Spende von Wünsch Dir Mahl. Wasser, Saft und Kekse für zwischendurch stehen bereit.
Once again apologies to my English followers, as I am now posting an interview in German, which we had today in the German Radio in Namibia.
Heute waren Steffen und ich beim Deutschen Hörfunk der Namibian Broadcasting Cooperation (NBC) und wurden im Auftakt zu der Namibia Premiere unseres Filmes von Ralf Boll interviewt.
Wer es ‚live’ verpasst hat, kann sich hier das Interview noch einmal anhören. Es gibt eine kurze Filmkritik und dann ein recht launiges Gespräch mit dem super Moderator Ralf Boll.
Um das Interview zu hören, bitte einfach oben Start drücken.
Der Film wird morgen am 14ten Januar im Goethe Institut in Windhoek gezeigt. Wir freuen uns, wenn die Einblicke in unser Leben und Schaffen euch neugierig machen. Lasst euch diese (einzige) Filmvorführung in Namibia nicht entgehen.
Ralf Boll, Steffen Holzkamp und Imke Rust im Studio 5 der NBC, Deutscher Hörfunk Namibia. (13 Januar 2016)
![FullSizeRender[13]](https://i0.wp.com/imkerust.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/fullsizerender13.jpg?w=415&h=312&ssl=1 "FullSizeRender[13]")
![FullSizeRender[18]](https://i0.wp.com/imkerust.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/fullsizerender18.jpg?w=320&h=206&ssl=1 "FullSizeRender[18]")
![FullSizeRender[20]](https://i0.wp.com/imkerust.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/fullsizerender20.jpg?w=297&h=206&ssl=1 "FullSizeRender[20]")
![FullSizeRender[21]](https://i0.wp.com/imkerust.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/fullsizerender21.jpg?w=152&h=98&ssl=1 "FullSizeRender[21]")
Imke Rust 