STUDIO: TINO ZIMMERMANN

In the organizer's words:

In his work, Tino Zimmermann (*1990 Templin) deals with political and social issues that are often based on his personal experiences. In his long-term photographic project Developments (2011-2020), he explores the difficulties he faced growing up and living as a creatively inclined person during the post-reunification period in Brandenburg. He deals with topics such as a lack of prospects, a lack of social integration and the resulting mental illnesses and addictions. When he was released from psychiatric care during a drug-induced psychosis and decided to change his life and remain abstinent, he discovered photography as an occupation. He has turned the pictures that tell of this time into a 500-page artist's book. With his story, Zimmermann wants to draw attention to the difficulties that many young people in structurally weak regions with a GDR past were and are exposed to. At the same time, he wants to help break down the stigma that is often attached to mental illness.

The work being shown at STUDIO consists of two parts: the artist's photo book Developments, which will also be published as an available edition for the first time as part of the exhibition, and a spatial installation that alludes to the condition of schizophrenia. For this, the artist rearranges photographs of his former room: the images of the walls and floor are divided into individual fragments and arranged like collages in such a way that the original room layout can no longer be reconstructed. The information of reality can no longer be put together to form a meaningful image.

Curator: Johan Holten
Curatorial assistance: Dorotea Lorenz