As an artist rooted in the whimsical cultural landscape of Kassel, I weave together the threads of video, performance, and installation to create experiences that challenge and redefine the very essence of gendered stereotypes. My work is a testament to the transformative power of crossing boundaries, embracing versatility, and reclaiming softness as a source of strength.

I delve into the realm of video, employing its immersive qualities to transport viewers into a world where constructs dissolve and new possibilities emerge. Through carefully crafted narratives and evocative imagery, I explore the complexities of identity, inviting audiences to question their own preconceived notions.

Performance art serves as a medium for me to topple the towers of conformity. My body becomes a mere vessel, a tool for the performance's message. In these performative acts, I transcend the limitations imposed by societal expectations, asserting the adaptability of gender and the boundless potential of self-expression.

Installation art provides a spatial dimension to my artistic exploration, transforming physical environments into interactive realms where viewers engage with the subversion of traditional expectations. Through carefully curated objects, soundscapes, and lighting, I create immersive experiences that invite contemplation and challenge perceptions.

At the heart of my artistic practice lies the concept of radical softness. I reclaim this often-overlooked quality, conventionally associated with femininity, and imbue it with strength, resilience, and transformative power. Radical softness is not about passivity or weakness; it is about embracing vulnerability, empathy, and the power of connection.

Through my art, I strive to create a world where gender is not a rigid construct but a fluid spectrum of possibilities. I invite audiences to navigate the gradient of self-definition with openness and explore the liberating potential of forging new paths. In the mycelial tapestry of my art, I braid a tale of queer liberation, entwining the roots of self-discovery with the fungal threads of societal transformation. Like lichens, my art thrives in the liminal spaces between, fostering a vibrant ecosystem of interconnected identities, where each individual can flourish in their authentic form.

Michael Gärtner
Johannestraße 7
34121 Kassel
Email hello[at]mfg.wtf

Instagram


EVENTS

LIMINAL FIELDS
Galerie für Gegenwartskunst | E-Werk, Freiburg
26th Nov 2022 – 15th Jan 2023
Garden Screening
documenta fifteen, Kassel
24th Sep 2022
DIE FLACHE ERDE
DOCK 4, DECK 1, Kassel
12th Aug 2022 – 14th Aug 2022
SPROSS
Kulturzentrum 7Stern, Vienna
18th Jun 2022
Arnold Bode Unframed
Neue Galerie, Kassel
3rd Jun 2022 – 9th Oct 2022
Vorschlagsliste 1
Staatstheater, Kassel
31st May 2022
Connection
38. Kasseler Dokfest, Kassel
17th Nov 2021 – 21st Nov 2021
Imaging Beuys
Neue Galerie, Kassel
15th Oct 2021 – 7th Jan 2022
Räumungsverkauf
Autohaus Autohaus zur Förderung von Kunst und Kultur, Kassel
24th Sep 2021 – 26th Sep 2021
Vanitas21
Junge Kantorei, Frankfurt am Main & Heidelberg
19th Sep 2021 – 25 Sep 2021
Unfolding an Exhibition
documenta archiv, Kassel
1st Feb 2020
Kasseler Atelierrundgang
Study Room, Kassel
28th Sep 2019 – 29th Sep 2019
Dyslexie
Kulturfabrik Moabit e.V., Berlin
21st Sep 2019
EXAMEN 2018
documenta-Halle, Kassel
13th Dec 2018 – 16th Dec 2018
The Kassel Art of Stone Appreciation
Stellwerk, Kassel
22nd Mar 2018 – 24th Mar 2018
EXAMEN 2017
documenta-Halle, Kassel
14th Dec 2017 – 17th Dec 2017
documenta Resonanz
34. Kasseler Dokfest, Kassel
14th Nov 2017 – 19th Nov 2017
Festival of Future Nows
Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin
14th Sep 2017 – ∞
Appropriation Games
Bali Kino, Kassel
9th Feb 2017
Art Gazing
Stellwerk, Kassel
20th Jan 2017 – 21st Jan 2017
Traumtableau
33. Kasseler Dokfest, Kassel
15th Nov 2016 – 20th Nov 2016
Liebe und arbeite!
TOKONOMA, Kassel
21st Oct 2016
Virtual Inheritance
Papiercafé, Kassel
15th Jul 2016
Vom Wert der Kunst als Wert der Arbeit
WELTKUNSTZIMMER, Düsseldorf
30th Apr 2016 – 19th Jun 2016
Verführen
Kunstverein Wolfsburg, Wolfsburg
26th Feb 2016 – 8th May 2016
Queering TASTE: Total Affirmation
Kreuzberg Pavillon, Berlin
18th Sep 2015 – 20th Sep 2015
Zeichen guter Gastlichkeit
Posthuman Gallery for Interactive Research, Kassel
3rd Jul 2015


Webdesign & Development
Johannes Strüber