be körner (be/they) is an artistic researcher working with performative strategies and is currently doing a PhD at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar on madness and artistic exceptionalism.

portrait: Phi Kinon

my work is grounded in and permeated by lived experience. i am interested in moments of transgression, absence, and irritation. from dust to fake smiles, i often work with ephemeral and personal material. through performative strategies, i try to find forms that align with their inner logic. my media include installation, performance, photography, and text.

in my PhD project, i explore dissonances between psychiatric stigma and ideas of madness in artistic creation. i look at shifting configurations of normalcy, as well as dissonant conceptions of madness and the so-called artistic personality.

since 2012, my works have been exhibited internationally in galleries and institutions, for example at Reykjavík Museum of Photography, CCI Fabrika Moscow and Bundeskunsthalle Bonn. i work both as a solo artist and in changing collaborative constellations.

i consider identity not as a stable condition, but as dynamic and relational. as i move through different selves, variables shift. this includes interaction, gender expression, and even names. if you know me or my work by a different name, nevermind: "be" is the one to catch them all.



solo and duo exhibitions (selection)

2024
DER MIXER, Frankfurt

2023
fault lines, Der Laden, Weimar

2020
crisis manual, Förderverein Aktuelle Kunst Münster

2018
there are no trains in iceland, GEDOK en passant Gallery, Leipzig // No Matter How I Wanted To, with Anja Heymann, ENERGIEkombinat, Leipzig

2017
NEST, with Lena Teresa Flohrschütz, intershop interdisziplinaire, Leipzig

2016
Last Year’s Self, curated by Hanin Hannouch, Skotið, Reykjavík Museum of Photography (IS) // Missing Memories, curated by Hanin Hannouch, SÍM gallery, Reykjavík (IS)


group exhibitions (selection)

2018
Das Leben der Dinge, curated by Michaela and Georg Schrabeck, Atelierhaus Darmstadt // Corporal Temperature, curated by Vanessa Souli, Pilotenkueche, Leipzig // Space Chorus, curated by Vanessa Souli, Alte Handelsschule, Leipzig // ARRIVED II, Tapetenwerk, Leipzig // ROT ROT ROT, intershop interdisciplinaire, Leipzig // Aufschlagen, Haus des Buches, Leipzig // V, curated by Vincent Rischer and Lukas Troberg, Kunstraum XXY, Berlin

2017
Überlagerungen, boesner Projektraum, Leipzig // Lost in Transition, curated by Julia Reichelt and Michaela Schrabeck, Kunstforum Darmstadt and Atelierhaus Darmstadt // Nordbecken Festival, Karlsruhe // Paperjam, Playhouse, Norwich (UK)

2016
vermeintlich anders, Konglomerat Leipzig // Hidden in a valley beside an open stream - This will be the type of place where you will find your dream, project space Im Hinterzimmer, Karlsruhe // Karlsruhe - Transfer, Krasnodar Regional Museum (RU) // Presence and Nature, Biblioteca Viva Egaña, Santiago de Chile (CL)

2015
Að bjarga heiminum Verksmiðjan á Hjalteyri (IS) // Höhenluft #10 - Let's come together, right now, oh yeah, in sweet harmony, Kunstverein Wilhelmshöhe, Ettlingen // Diagrammatic exhibition: lying – sitting – standing – walking – jumping – flying/falling – carrying: what the human is doing and how, curated by Boris Nieslony, Künstlerforum Bonn

2014
ÜBERSEE, sound of mu, Oslo (NO) // Fljótstunga Artistic Residency (IS) // Kanill, SÍM salurinn, Reykjavík (IS)

2013
K, exhibition-conference-hybrid, Karlsruhe // Kunststudentinnen und Kunststudenten stellen aus, Federal Art Contest, Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn // Ja.Aber, festival Frauenperspektiven, Karlsruhe // Quartier, Orgelfabrik, Karlsruhe

2012
TOP 12, Städtische Galerie Karlsruhe // Achter de Ramen, Amsterdam (NL)

2011
Höhenluft1, Kunstverein Wilhelmshöhe, Ettlingen // zweifellos-Zwischenträger, Bauhausvilla Gellertstraße, Karlsruhe // Doppelzimmer, with Aleschija Seibt, poly produzentengalerie, Karlsruhe


performances

2022
tear soup, with Nadja Kracunovic

2020
Das Lächeln ist falsch, with Constanze Zacharias, Förderverein Aktuelle Kunst Münster // Praxis Doktor Kunst, with Lisa Tschorn, B-Side Festival Münster // tipping points, Kunsthaus R3 Ansbach

2019
we need to talk about crisis, Nordbecken Festival, Karlsruhe // Praxis Doktor Kunst, with Lisa Tschorn, Förderverein Aktuelle Kunst Münster

2018
Book of Secrets, Alte Handelsschule/Pilotenkueche Leipzig // LASH####, with Anitbody Corporation, intershop interdisciplinaire, Leipzig // Dark Impulse, with Gyða Hrund Þorvaldsdóttir, Tapetenwerk/intershop interdisciplinaire, Leipzig // privilege, Der Engel von Sibirien — Elsa Brändström, Tapetenwerk, Leipzig

2017
falling for a stranger / tear, I Owe You Some Pie, projektraum pool, Karlsruhe // transplant, forming inattention: getting lost, PAErsche, Museumsbahnsteig Oberhausen // falling for a stranger, Pioneers in sound and space, Kaluza-Klein-Kollektiv, Philippuskirche Leipzig // tipping point (Herr, brich mir das Genick im Sturz von einer Bierbank), moments to gather, Kunstverein gegenwart and KUB Gallery, Leipzig

2016
moulting, Karlsruhe - Transfer, Krasnodar Regional Museum (RU) // moulting, CCI FABRIKA, Moscow (RU)

2015
string theory / string practise, Borgarnes (IS) // lecture, Let's come together, right now, oh yeah, in sweet harmony, Kunstverein Wilhelmshöhe, Ettlingen

2013
lecture, K exhibition-conference-hybrid, Karlsruhe // 100 years of sleep, Anthropozänta art festival, Helmbrechts // lecture, tælandi tabú, feminist performance event, Reykjavík (IS)

2012
100 years of sleep, REGIONALE 13: ANDERNORTS, EWERK, Freiburg


publications

2020
LUX19: Frauenarbeit - Korrespondenzen, Published by Künstlergut Prösitz in halbton. Verlag und Redaktion für bildende Kunst // Nordbeckenkollektiv, catalogue accompanying the exhibition at Kunsthaus R3, edited by Tobias Talbot

2018
Das Leben der Dinge, catalogue accompanying the exhibition, edited by Atelierhaus Darmstadt

2017
Lost in Transition. Vom Flüchtigen, Ephemeren, catalogue accompanying the exhibition, edited by Julia Reichelt and Michaela Schrabeck, Darmstadt // Kalbenser Fliegenklatsche, edition 03. magazine, edited by Marko Kühnel, Kalbe

2015
Horror Vacui, artist book, self-published, Reykjavík // Höhenluft #10. catalogue accompanying the exibition, edited by Kunstverein Wilhelmshöhe Ettlingen

2014
Kalbenser Fliegenklatsche, edition 01, magazine by Marko Kühnel, Kalbe
// khybrid, publication of the K exhibition hybrid, edited by Angela Stiegler and Matthias Numberger

2013
Atlas 2013, catalogue accompanying the Federal Art Competition, Deutsches Studentenwerk // Baden-Württemberg: Ein Ort für junge Künstler? Eine Studie im Auftrag des Kunstbüros der Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg, Kunstbüro der Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart. ISBN 978-3-932679-16-2 // Proxyserver, online publication by Lena Teresa Flohrschütz and Patrick Amelie Becker

2012
TOP 12. Meisterschüler der Staatlichen Akademie Bildenden Künste Karlsruhe, Publishing House Das Wunderhorn, Heidelberg. ISBN 978-3884234174

2011
FORMATIONEN I catalogue documentation of the project by Sara Wahl

2010
PROJEKT NECKARSTEINACH anthology of the Neckarsteinach project space


projects and memberships

since 2019
Doktor Kunst / Praxis Doktor Kunst (performance project and podcast, with Lisa Tschorn)

2018-2020
LUX19: Frauenarbeit (organisation and concept, with Yvonne Kalinna)

since 2017
member of the Federation of Visual Artists Leipzig (BBKL)

2017-2020
member of GEDOK Women Artists Association Central Germany (GEDOK-Gruppe Mitteldeutschland) / elected board member from 2017-2019

2013-2016
member of the Association of Icelandic Visual Artists (SÍM)

2013
stop/pause/play magazine (founder and publisher)

2011-2012
elected member of the General Student's Committee (AStA) and senate member at the Academy of Fine Arts, Karlsruhe // UND7 - Platform for Art Initiatives, Karlsruhe (concept and organisation, with Simon Pfeffel) // Frau Freitag performance festival, Karlsruhe (organisation)


grants and residencies

2022
Kreativfonds, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar

2018
Local Participant, 36th Round of the International Art Program Pilotenkueche, Leipzig

2017
Grant by the Cultural Fond Frankfurt RheinMain, Merck KGaA, Carlo and Karin Giersch Foundation, City of Science Darmstadt, Sparkasse Darmstadt, Darmstädter Förderkreis Kultur e.V. for the exhibition and catologue "Lost in Transition"

2016
Grant by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Education and the Arts, by the GEDOK artist association and the Cultural Office of the City of Karlsruhe for the exhibition "Karlsruhe - Transfer"

2015
Artist in Residence, Künstlerstadt Kalbe

2014
Artist in Residence, Fljótstunga (IS)

Grant by the Cultural Office of the City of Karlsruhe for "stop/pause/play magazine" and the "Quartier" exhibition project

2012
Grant by the Cultural Office of the City of Karlsruhe for "UND7 - Platform for Art Initiatives" // Grant by the Cultural Office of the City of Karlsruhe and State Academy of Fine Arts for the "Frau Freitag" performance festival

2010
ERASMUS scholar, Norwich University of the Arts (UK)


education

since 2018
PhD candidate (PhD Program Art and Design / Fine Art) at Bauhaus University Weimar

2011-2012
Meisterschülerin (postgraduate student) of Prof. Toon Verhoef, Academy of Fine Arts Karlsruhe

2011
Guest student in the Moving Image class of Prof. Isaac Julien, Academy of Design Karlsruhe (HfG) // Guest student in the sculpture department at Norwich University of the Arts (UK)

2006-2011
Studies in Fine Art (Diploma) at Academy of Fine Arts Karlsruhe

2005-2006
Studies in European Art History and German Language, University of Heidelberg