Arns, Inke: Silke Schönfeld

Silke Schönfeld‘s film works oscillate between installation, staging and documentation, emphasising ambiguities, questioning the authenticity of moving images and thus locating the viewer in a vague space between staged and documented film. The film works of Silke Schönfeld (*1988) oscillate between installation, staged settings, and documentary. She engages with social media and the omnipresent flood of images: in this context, the artist highlights ambiguities, questions the authenticity of moving images, and thus situates the viewers in a vague space between staged and documented film. Schönfeld is especially interested in places and situations so ordinary that we don’t (or no longer) notice them – places we pass by without a second thought. These initially inconspicuous locations and situations serve as launch pads for the artist to reflect on larger, socially relevant topics. Schönfeld skillfully interweaves personal stories with historical and societal contexts, subtly directing attention to social phenomena, rituals, ideologies, and processes. The publication is being issued on occasion of the eponymous solo exhibition at the HMKV Dortmund and showcases five large-scale video installations. Numerous photo spreads and introductory texts are accompanied by a detailed interview with the artist.