Fridericianum

Born in 1988 in Los Angeles, Martine Syms has emerged in recent years as one of the central and defining figures in the younger, international discourse on art and culture. In her multidisciplinary practice, which spans film, photography, installation, performance, and writing, the artist explores manifold, compelling questions in order to map new perspectives on life and society. Thus, through precise observations and in-depth research, Syms addresses the representation and reception of African American identities and cultures, the theories and realities of feminism, the conditions of interpersonal communication, and the impact of digital media on everyday life. Characterized by both conceptual and pop approaches, her work displays a marked sense of humor without ever losing its seriousness and urgency. Developed especially for Kassel and entitled Aphrodite ́s Beasts, the exhibition presents the artist’s work to a broader audience in Germany for the first time by means of large-format film installations, new photographs, site specific interventions, and objects.