Meet the artists | Marianna Simnett

Art Basel’s “Meet the Artists” series showcases contemporary creators shaping today’s cultural landscape.

Marianna Simnett’s film installations, theatrical performances, and sculptures invite viewers to navigate landscapes where reality and fantasy converge. The experience is often as disturbing as it is stimulating. “My work can be characterized by its extreme commitment to doing everything in its power to convey a message,” she says in our latest episode of “Meet the artists”. “Sometimes people find it disturbing, disturbing, too extreme, very emotional, very psychologically affecting, funny, scary and hopefully a whole spectrum of feelings. »

In the film, the London-born takes us on a tour of her home base, Berlin. Stopping at some of her favorite local spots, she talks about knowing she was an artist since the age of three, finding refuge in her work, and her classical training on piano and flute . On the way we visit its current exhibition at the Hamburger Bahnhof. Titled “WINNER,” it is an unflinching exploration of the human condition, confronting themes of violence, resilience and vulnerability.

The exhibition is part of UEFA Euro 2024’s arts and culture programme, with the football championship providing a compelling backdrop to Simnett’s work. The anticipation and national pride that accompany the tournament echo the competitive spirit and emotional intensity that permeates ‘WINNER’. Here, Simnett juxtaposes the triumphs and tribulations of athletes with the human struggle, creating a dialogue between the world of sport and the realm of art. To make the film, Simnett immersed herself in football, conducting extensive research through books and podcasts, interviewing players and referees, and visiting matches and the DFB academy in Frankfurt. “I was very interested in the idea of ​​turning football and injury into a dance,” she says. “I was interested in dissolving the boundary between documentary and fiction.”

Marianna Simnett is represented by Société (Berlin). Her exhibition “WINNER” is on view at the Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart until November 3, 2024.