with Les Schliesser at Mirko Mayer Gallery, Cologne

Daniela Brahm’s series of portraits “What’s got into them?” shows protagonists of the land question since John Stuart Mill. The ownership of land was and is a social challenge, many economists and land reformers are relevant again today with their theses. A second series of large-format drawings, “Berlin Dilemma (My Berlin),” deals with the absurd cultural stratifications, power struggles, and contradictions of the capital’s genesis.

Les Schliesser turns to the subjectively escapist in view of the general situation. Small watercolors from the “Blümchenbilder” series freely associate random forms and complement the more darkly pointed “Kartoffelzeichnungen,” a series of ink drawings that record ongoing, media events. “Sunday Paintings” and ceramics with wild bee potential form the decorative pole of the exhibition.

Daniela Brahm and Les Schliesser are longtime artists at the gallery and are collaborating on their project “ExRotaprint” for an open, not-for-profit urban development. ExRotaprint is a 10,000 square meter landmarked industrial site in Berlin’s Wedding district. (www.exrotaprint.de)