Erinnerungskörper
Erinnerungskörper
The Body as a Memory Keeper
SomoS Art Space, Berlin, Germany
2024

Erinnerungskörper – The Body as a Memory Keeper, is the first solo exhibition of figurative paintings by German-Canadian visual artist Gabriela Hirt in Berlin, Germany. Transcending traditional artistic boundaries in cooperations with Alison J Barton, Marie Elise Hufnagel, and Tabea Antonacci, the presentation weaves together movement, poetry, visual art, and the resonant theme of colonial legacies and the quest for connection amidst inherited trauma and guilt.
The exhibition is dominated by a central area featuring two large paintings: the site of Marie Elise Hufnagel and Tabea Antonacci’s dance performance. Deeper into the space, we find mid-sized paintings and small mixed-media collages on paper. Featuring figures in existential situations, their raw and impatient brushwork and strong colors echo the immediacy of neo-expressionist painting of the late 1970s/early 1980s. Hirt’s works differ, however, in their total lack of irony and cynicism typical for that era, instead exuding a sense of earnestness and political engagement that is wholly congruous with the present activist moment.
Influenced by psychotherapist Resmaa Menakem’s concept of “Somatic Abolitionism,” Hirt’s work delves into the notion that historical traumas resonate through generations, imprinting on our nervous systems. She sees our bodies as “living memorials of pain and resilience,” a theme vividly expressed in her paintings and sculptures. Through her art, Hirt seeks to unravel and transform what she views as deep-seated, often discriminatory programming inherited from the past, aiming to catalyze healing and awareness. Hirt engages with diverse communities, inviting viewers to reflect on their own experiences of identity and belonging, fostering a deeper intercultural understanding.
Continue reading at https://somos-arts.org/gabriela-hirt-erinnerungskoerper/




We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
