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.

Vita

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)