Human Frames. Ten psychological states – 77 video artists and filmmakers from Asia and Europe

The exhibition Human Frames is dedicated to the human being, the Condition humaine and the various states of mind that accompany man on his journey through life. In the form of ten thematically compiled film programmes with works by contemporary artists and filmmakers from Europe and Asia that concentrate upon themes such as happiness, desire, madness, fanaticism, fear, anger, isolation, melancholy, the exhibition will re-examine and illuminate human existence at the start of the twenty-first century, including the eastern concept mono no aware (‘the pathos of things’) and impermanence.

Human Frames portrays a timeless, universal spectrum of human frames of mind that transcend national, social and cultural affiliations. The films also exemplify a range of stylistic and content-related approaches influenced by various ethical and cinematic traditions, resulting in a series that is particularly diverse and original.

While each programme illustrates its own theme, the other themes are always present.

Human Frames was conceived by Silke Schmickl, head of the Paris-based film production and curatorial label Lowave, and developed in collaboration with guest curators Masayo Kajimura (Germany/Japan), Victric Thng (Singapore), François Michaud and Stéphane Gérard (France). The project is being implemented in partnership with KIT – Kunst im Tunnel in Düsseldorf, The Substation arthouse cinema in Singapore and the Asia-Europe Foundation.