- 1st prize Neuköllner Kunstpreis 2026
Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi
We asked Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi to tell us about her work Monument of Second Skin and how it relates to her artistic practice. She also reveals her favourite place in Neukölln.
The interview will be available here soon.
Jurytext
Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi’s installation impresses with its immediate haptic presence and accessibility. The artist combines a wealth of feminine clothing with a large-scale photo wall reminiscent of a brick wall. The clothing, understood as a second skin, is a medium for revealing different personalities. At the same time, the installation functions as a kind of curtain that viewers must push aside in an almost voyeuristic manner to reveal the underlying layer of intimate photos of the artist documenting her long-standing transition process. With this work, the artist offers a direct insight into her personal history and makes a vivid reference to the social discourse on the recognition of non-binary gender identities.
