My work is dealing with parallel worlds, which exists in our society. Sometimes they seem like paradise to me.
In my photographs I want to make them visible, give them a voice and an artistic form, show their beauty and power.
For that purpose I combine documentary and fiction. My images are looking real and unreal at the same time, often move away from time and seem like a filmstill or a painting.
ELLEN BORNKESSEL
born in Hammelburg, Germany
1995-1997 Visual Arts, University of Applied Sciences, Bielefeld
1997-2001 Academy of Visual Arts,HGB Leipzig, Class of Prof. Brohm , Photography
Class of Prof. D Ùrbano, Mediaarts, Diploma
2001-2002 Masterclass of Prof. D Urbano
2014- 2016 lecturer in photography, HMKW, University of Applied Sciences, Cologne
since 2018 Member German Photographic Association
lives and works in Cologne, Germany
Awards/Grants/ Catalogues / Fundings
2021 "NEUSTART KULTUR", project grant BBK for "Forest Dream"
020 "Forest Bus" monographic catalogue, Verlag Kettler
2018 Member of German Photographic Association
2015 Nomination grant Hoepfner Stiftung for "play"
2013 "play" monographic catalogue, Klartextverlag
2013 Zollverein Foundation, exhibition and cataloguefunding for "play"
2012 "Promethiade", catalogue, documentation of the european festival "Promethiade" with Dr. Frank Raddatz
2009 Goethe Institute Peking, travelfundung for "Together in Movement"-Contemporary Art from china and Germany
2009 Exhibitionfunding from the Cultural Office of Cologne for "play"
2004 European Union, grant for Triangle project
1999 grant Rheinisches Industriemuseum Oberhausen
Soloshows
2021 "Forest Dream", Underground station Neumarkt, Cologne, Germany
2020 "Forest Bus" Installation, Monheim am Rhein, Germany
2018 "Embassy of Trees" Installation, World Heritage Cologne Cathedral
2018 "Embassy of Trees" Michael Horbach Stiftung, Cologne
2018 "Embassy of Trees" Installation, Cologne City Hall
2013 „play“, Ruhr Museum, Unesco world heritage Zollverein, Germany (Catalogue)
2010 „Easy Beauty“, Gallery Loris, Berlin
2009 „Night“, Dance-Videoperformance with pretty ugly dance, Arkadas , Cologne, Germany
2009 „The StandingStills“, Gallery Loris, Berlin
2009 „play“ Moltkerei, Cologne, Germany
2008 „play“ Gallery Loris, Berlin
Exhibitions and Screenings (Selection)
2023 "Between the Trees", Museum of Applied Arts, Cologne with "Dream a New Future"
2020 „Art and Sustainabilitiy“ Stiftung Genshagen, Onlineexhibition with „Embassy of Trees“
2017 "Stadt-Landschaften", in focus Gallery, Cologne, Germany
2016 Begira Photofestival, Museo de Arte e Historia, Durango (Bizkaia), Spain
2015 Exhibition grant Hoepfnerfoundation, "Stadttraum-Traumstadt", Karlsruhe
2012 „Photographs from Elsewhere“ at fotofreo Foto Biennale Perth, Australia
2011 „diamonds and pearls“, Gallery Loris, Berlin
2011 „The Best of all possible Worlds“, Carpe Diem Art Space, Lissabon
2009 „Together in Movement“ Contemporary Art from China and Germany,Museum of Arts, Wuhan, China (Catalogue)
2008 „1:1“, Gallery Loris Berlin, Month of Photography (Catalogue)
2008 „Loop 08“, VideoArtFair, Barcelona
2007 „they rule the Valley“, Gallery Loris, Berlin
2006 „Pulsar“, Mediaartsfestival, Caracas Venezuela
2005 Recontres Internationales Paris /Berlin, Centre Culturel Suedois, Paris, France (Catalogue)
2005 „Pulsar“ at Museum of modern Art, Cali, Kolumbia
2004 Festival International De Filmes De Femmes, Creteil, France
2004 Sydney Film Festival, Sydney, Australia
2003 ArtFilmBiennale, Museum Ludwig, Cologne (Catalogue)
2003 International Munich Filmweek, Munich, Germany (Catalogue)
2003 „Musterwelt“, halle für kunst, Lüneburg, Germany
2003 „radiator 2“, Nottingham, England
2002 „Arsenal“, Wandelhalle, Cologne (Catalogue)
2002 19. Kasseler Dokumentarfilm- und Videofest (Catalogue)
2002 Praterfernsehen, Volksbühne Berlin, Germany
2001 VideoEvento d Àrte, International Academy of Arts and Media, Turin
2001 „natural_mente“, Museum of natural Science, Leipzig, Germany (Catalogue)
2000 artKino, Art Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany (Catalogue)