April 11, 2024, 10 am – 1 pm
Many thanks to the artist Philip Kojo Metz for his lecture Exploring Inner and Outer Landscapes through Art and discussing the works of our participants within the Studio Program at BAI | Berlin Artist Residency, Art School, Arts Incubator, and Live Online Courses & Classes.
“My journey as an artist has been driven by a desire to bridge the gaps between cultures and unearth the hidden narratives of history. As a person of African-German heritage raised in the Black Forest, a region steeped in stereotypical German tradition and culture, I frequently encountered challenges related to intercultural dynamics. Even before formal art studies, I was captivated by Germany’s history on the African continent and sought to uncover connections between diverse cultures. A lot of wich had to do with finding my own identity and place in that society. Despite the often troubled nature of these connections, I remained committed to fostering awareness and dialogue around this crucial aspect of German history.
This commitment led me to initiate the Eagle Africa project, wich I would like to share in my work presentation: a multidisciplinary exploration of Germany’s colonial history and the presence of African culture in European countries. Over the past decade, I have developed a body of work encompassing video, installations, photography, interventions, and more. From the Gross Friedrichsburg Castle to the halls of the Goethe Institute in Accra, my work has been showcased internationally, contributing to a broader conversation on colonial legacies and cultural exchange.
As an artist seeking to explore inner Landscapes and to deepen the understanding of your craft, the focus and possible impact of our works in this context might offer insights and practical tools to enrich your understanding of yourself, your art and how it can interact with the world around you.” (Text by courtesy of Philip Kojo Metz)
Philip Kojo Metz grew up in the Black Forest as the son of an African father and his German mother. He studied photography initially, then sculpture with Olaf Metztel at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich.
After completing his studies in 2005, he received several scholarships, allowing him to undertake projects in various countries and pursue his curiosity, particularly in exploring the African continent and its cultures through his art including stays in Cape Town and Paris, as well as the Valence Scholarship from the Ministry of Culture in Stuttgart. He also received working grants from the Arts Fund Bonn and the Arts Foundation of Baden-Württemberg. In 2006, he spent time in Brazil, and in 2012, for example, he visited South Africa and Ghana. There, he began the cycle “Eagle Africa,” which addressed German colonial history. Parts of it were exhibited in various African countries as well as in Europe, such as within the exhibition project “Pret à Partager” from 2010 to 2012 in various African countries, and at the German Historical Museum in Berlin in 2016 as part of the first historical exhibition addressing German colonial history in this prominent location.
Since 2021, he has been a member of the board of the German Artists’ Association and is represented in Berlin by the KWADRAT gallery.
More information about Philip Kojo Metz Website.
