APIAN – A Ministry of Bees
Exhibition
APIAN, the "Ministry of Bees", was launched around ten years ago by the Swiss artist Aladin Borioli as an artistic research project. It is dedicated to the various fields of relationships between humans and bees, involving actors from art, anthropology, philosophy and the natural sciences. APIAN is an ongoing project that takes on various forms of presentation and collaboration.
"APIAN is a collaborative space, inviting experts from various disiplines, to build a refuge to encounter bees on a more egalitarian basis away from capitalist destructive practices. The ministry’s work is primarily focusing on maintaining ties and fostering new relations with all bees." (Aladin Borioli)
The exhibition at M.1 shows parts of Apian’s work, including a short film on the effect of pesticides on bee brain made in collaboration with the artist Nephila and the German zoologist and neurobiologist Randolf Menzel, wall-sized collages made with archive images, as well as original research materials.
More specifically, the exhibition focuses on APIAN's latest area of research, which deals with a specific historical form of beehive - the "Bannkorb". These beehives were mainly used in northern Germany between the 16th and 19th centuries and are characterized by the use of a wooden mask to ward off the evil eyes. In the exhibition, photographic documentation of this specific Northern German folk culture is presented alongside a small selection of original beehives from the Institute of Apiculture in Celle and from the Heimatbund Soltau e. V. (Soltau Heritage Association).
By linking modern scientific knowledge production with cultural history and traditional culture, the exhibition allows us to imagine a sustainable relationship between humans and bees in the future.
Aladin Borioli (*1988) studied graphic design and photography in Switzerland and subsequently completed a degree in visual anthropology at the Free University, Berlin. His work is also characterised by a special interest in philosophy.
He has recently presented solo shows and participated in international exhibitions; among others in Cairn, Digne-les-bains, (FR), C/O Berlin, Berlin (DE), Musée des beaux-arts, Le Locle (CH), Centre d'Art Neuchâtel (CH), Fotobokfestival, Gamle Munch, Oslo (NO). His work has been honoured with numerous prizes and grants, including the Prix Auguste Bachelin (CH), the C/O Berlin Talent Award (D), a residency at La Cité internationale des arts Paris (F), a fellowship from the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg Delmenhorst (D), the Eyebeam Rapid Response Fellowship (USA) and the ICA New Creatives Award (UK).
Thanks to the Alexander Tutsek-Stiftung, which supported the documentation of the Bannkörbe through the C/O Berlin Talent Award.
Events
2024 |
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1. December | 15 h | Führung durch die Ausstellung |
14–16 h |
Workshop für Kinder
Building clay hives
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11 h |
Film: Hive
Regie: Blerta Basholli
Spielfilm, RKS/ CHE/ ALB, MKD 2021, 83 min. |
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19. November | 19 h |
Vortrag von Dr. Martin Gruber
Woven baskets – From Cameroon to Northern Germany
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16. October | 19:30 h |
Film: Land des Honigs
Regie: Ljubomir Stefanov und Tamara Kotevska
Spielfilm, MKD 2019, 87 min. |
13. October | 16 h | Führung durch die Ausstellung |
14–18 h |
Tag der Bienen
Experts from the region will present their activities for bees in Schleswig-Holstein
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14. September | 15 h | Führung durch die Ausstellung |
7. September | 14 h | Eröffnung |