Schering Stiftung

Prize winner 

Hiwa K in front of his work

Hiwa K in front of his work "My Father's Colour Periods"
Photo: Fabian Schubert

Hiwa K: This Lemon Tastes of Apple, 2011, Video, 16:9, color, sound, 13:26 min, Video Still

Hiwa K: This Lemon Tastes of Apple, 2011, Video, 16:9, color, sound, 13:26 min, Video Still
Photo: This Lemon Tastes of Apple © Hiwa K

Aneta Szylak, Prof. Anthony Downey, Prof. Dr. Stefan E. Kaufmann, Hiwa K, Heike Catherina Mertens, Bakir Ali, Prof. Dr. Charlotte Klonk, Krist Gruijthuijsen

Aneta Szylak, Prof. Anthony Downey, Prof. Dr. Stefan E. Kaufmann, Hiwa K, Heike Catherina Mertens, Bakir Ali, Prof. Dr. Charlotte Klonk, Krist Gruijthuijsen
Photo: Andreas Müller

Hiwa K in front of his work

Hiwa K in front of his work "The Existentialist Scene in Kurdistan (Raw Materiality 01)", 2017
Photo: Andreas Müller, Courtesy Hiwa K und KOW, Berlin

Hiwa K

Schering Stiftung Art Award 2016

Hiwa K

Schering Stiftung Art Award 2016


The paradox of belonging and estrangement has been a crucial aspect within the life and work of Hiwa K. By concealing his last name, he underlines his detachment and ongoing engagement with issues around refuge. The letter “K”, in this process, comes to the foreground and operates as a figure without agency — a figure that is not able to identify with either an “I” nor a “we”.

Forced to leave his home country for political reasons, the disconnection with what was formally known as “home” is crucial to the artistic inquiry undertaken by Hiwa K. This question drives the artist to produce work in which vernacular forms, oral histories, and political constructs are intertwined. The various references in his practice consist of stories told by family members and friends, found situations, and everyday encounters that evolve around make-shift solutions and pragmatic approaches to often complex ideas and concepts. In this capacity, the artist attempts to retain the traditions surrounding his upbringing while also obtaining the knowledge that will help him to further integrate into newer environments.

The longing for connection, curiosity, and the desire to learn remain key to the artist’s exploration of the relationship between personal and the collective systems of thought. When arriving in Europe in 2001, he took the opportunity to study music and became a pupil of the Flamenco master Paco Peña. Acting as a tool to create another dimension of critique within today’s society, his relationship to music has since become a key element in the work. Music has also functioned as a bridge to create a strong collective and participatory dimension within his practice and working models.

The jury consisted of Mariana Castillo Deball (artist), Natasha Ginwala (Curator, Contour Biennale 8, and Curatorial Advisor, documenta 14), Krist Gruijthuijsen (Director, KW Institute for Contemporary Art), Charlotte Klonk (Professor of Art History and New Media, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and member of the Ernst Schering Foundation Council), Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung (Director, SAVVY Contemporary), Jacob Proctor (Curator, Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society, University of Chicago), and Wael Shawky (artist and recipient of the Schering Stiftung Art Award 2011).

Read more

Media library

Publication — June 12, 2017

Hiwa K

Don't Shrink Me to the Size of a Bullet

Go to publication
Gallery — May 31, 2017

Art Award Ceremony

Images of the awarding ceremony for the Schering Stiftung Art Award 2016 to Hiwa K on May 31, 2017.

Go to images

Hiwa K – Exhibition 

Exhibition — June 02 – August 13, 2017

"Don’t Shrink Me to the Size of a Bullet" is the title of the exhibition by artist Hiwa K - winner of the Schering Stiftung Art Award 2016 - at the KW Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin.

Learn more

Partners 

The Schering Stiftung Art Award is a collaboration between the Schering Stiftung and KW Institute for Contemporary Art.
The cultural programming of KW Institute for Contemporary Art is made possible with support from the Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Europa.

KW Institute for Contemporary Art

You might also be interested in

July 05, 2018

Anna Daučíková

Schering Stiftung Art Award 2018

September 20, 2014

Kate Cooper

Schering Stiftung Art Award 2014

March 31, 2011

Wael Shawky

Schering Stiftung Art Award 2011

March 18, 2009

Renata Lucas

Schering Stiftung Art Award 2009

March 14, 2007

Nairy Baghramian

Schering Stiftung Art Award 2007

Newsletter 

Contact & social networks

Schering Stiftung

Unter den Linden 32-34
10117 Berlin

Telefon: +49.30.20 62 29 62
Email: info@scheringstiftung.de

Opening hours
Project space

Thursday to Monday: 1 pm - 7 pm
Saturday to Sunday: 11 am - 7 pm
free entrance

Follow us!

Follow us on our social media channels to find out the latest developments!

facebook Youtube Instagram