About – Janina Totzauer

My artistic practice revolves around the question of how we make sense of our existence in a time of constant threat to our habitat. Mutation B.1.1.7, greenhouse gas, species extinction, overfishing, microplastics – spaceship Earth groans under human cargo.

By bridging the gap between the past and a post-anthropocene future, I try to explain the role of humans on this planet. My video installations are inspired by existentialist philosophies and human rituals while living in Germany and Mozambique. The videos consist of performative actions that build on each other and are carried out by myself. The Sisyphean-like performances revolve around the absurdist conflict from which the only logical consequence for humanity is the enjoyment of meaninglessness itself. Contrary to the scientific approach, my videos always feed on the most diverse anecdotal traditions, which have always tried to explain the being and meaning of man. Deviating from the anthropocentrism of Europe, I found a florhumanimalist approach in Mozambique, which always confronts my protagonist with her non-human environment. I create special ritual objects, which are used in the performances and remain as relics in the exhibition space.

Janina Totzauer

Media Artist and Traveller
Works in Munich, Germany and Praia do Tofo, Mozambique

Since 2018 // Curator of AlmResidency
Since 2019 // Co-founder of team ille // curator of ille galerie
Since 2020 // Founder of ArtLabTofo

Studies

2020: Diploma at Academy of Fine Arts Munich
Meisterschülerin (graduate with honors) with Prof Rosefeldt

2017 – 2018: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City
Spanish, Fine Art at CEPE

2014 – 2015: University of Cape Town, South Africa
Media Art (Bachelor) at Professor Berni Searle and Kurt Campbell

2013 – 2020: Academy of Fine Arts, Munich
Media Art (diploma) at Prof. Klaus vom Bruch & Prof. Julian Rosefeldt

2009 – 2013: Munich University of Applied Sciences
Communications Design (BA 1,3)

2007 – 2009: Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich
History of Art, Philosophy (Mag Art)

Exhibitions

2023 // UPCOMING // Residency in Gwangju, South Korea
2023 // UPCOMING // The Project Room, Windhoek, Namibia
2022 // Food for Thought // Speiseraum // München
2022 // O animal humano e o seu planeta, Goethe Center Maputo, Mozambique
2022 // Galerie de Schans, Amsterdam
2022 // Alter + Ego, Eres Stiftung, München
2022 // to the land // Perlacher Forst // München
2022 // Vaster Than Empires // Halle 50, München
2022 // Officina 15, Castiglione dei Pepoli, Italien
2022 // But Nature is a Stranger Yet, Platform, München
2022 // Lassitude // Goethe Institut, Paris
2022 // MANA // Galerie der Künstler*innen, München
2021 // C.A.R. – Contemporary Media Art Fair // Essen, Germany
2021 // VerpackereiGö // Görisried, Germany
2021 // a.topos // The Creative Room // Venice, Italy
2021 // High Waters – Art Film programme // Werkstattkino & Kunstarkaden, Munich
2021 // DebütantInnen // Galerie der KünstlerInnen, Munich
2021 // Here There // Parkhaus 15 // Orlando, FL, USA
2021 // Lost Weekend meets Young Art // Lost Weekend // Munich
2021 // Leihweise 2021 // Artothek und Bildersaal // Munich
2020 // Tacker // Galerie der KünstlerInnen, Munich
2020 // Drawing Restrict // Rosa Stern Gallery, Munich
2020 // Online Performance Art Festival // worldwide / New York, US
2020 // living window gallery // Philadelphia, US
2020 // Diplomausstellung // AdBK München
2019 // Ein paar Tage nach der Welt // AkademieGalerie // Munich
2019 // Wieder Sehen // Kunstarkaden // Munich
2019 // Spielzwang // AkademieGalerie // Munich
2019 // Nackte Singularitäten // Köşk // Munich
2019 // World’s Smallest Performance Space // Kreativquartier // München
2019 // l’artiste devant sa toile // Kunstverein Marburg // Marburg
2019 // STRATA // AdBK // Munich
2019 // Zinnober 22 // 2a Studios // Hannover
2018 // Altonale // Hamburg
2018 // The Laboratory // AdBK // Munich
2018 // KMMN II – Kurzfilmtage // Kassel
2018 // Zimmer Frei // Hotel Mariandl // Munich
2018 // Memory Circles // Hub Gallery // Munich
2017 // Ancestor Simulation // Kunstarkaden // Munich
2017 // Go To Paradise // Kunstarkaden // Munich
2017 // UTOPIUM // AdBK // Munich
2017 // Art Future / Future Revolution Performance Festival // Mexico City, Mexico & Riga, Latvia
2016 // Notel Prinzregent // Hotel Prinzregent // Munich
2016 // The Weight of Water // ArtMuc // Munich
2016 // There will be blood // St. Ludwig church // Munich
2016 // Panorama // AdBK // Munich
2015 // lives and works in South Africa
2015 // The Port // Michaelis Galleries // Cape Town, South Africa
2015 // Things I don’t understand // TwentyFifty // Cape Town
2015 // Persistence of Memory // Untitled Art Gallery // Cape Town
2014 // BYOB // UNPAINTED media art fair // Munich
2014 // Fleisch // Keller der kleinen Künste // Munich
2014 // ENTER // Blockbuster Exhibitions // Berlin
2014 // doART // Fábrica Braço de Prata // Lisbon
2014 // Die Ufos landen immer auf dem Land! // San Depot Hallen // Aichach
2014 // The Motion // YMCA Halls // Trivandrum, India
2014 // Presentation // College of Fine Arts // Trivandrum, India
2014 // Die Arbeit Die Moderne Der Traum vom Ausweg // AdBK // Munich
2014 // Dunkel // AdBK // Munich
2014// Freiheit // Filmfestival Berlin-Lichtenberg // Berlin
2014 // Meister und Werke // Kunstpavillon im alten botanischen Garten // Munich
2013 // NEUNEUNEU // Maximiliansforum // Munich
2013// Limits of Control // Akademie der Bildenden Künste // Munich
2013 // Frischfleisch // AdBK // Munich
2013 // Parasites // AdBK // Munich
2013 // Lives and works in South Africa
2011-2012 // Lives and works in India
2010 // Rehearsal Room // Glockenbachwerkstatt // Munich
2010 // Wir stellen uns aus // IG Kultur // Fürstenfeldbruck

Prizes & scholarships & residencies

2023 // Gwangju Artist Residency Scholarship, Goethe Institute and City of Munich
2022 // Scholarship NEUSTART Kultur, Stiftung Kunstfonds
2021 // Scholarship for Fine Arts of the City of Munich
2021 // DebütantInnen Prize 2021 // BBK Munich
2021 // “Junge Kunst und Neue Wege” Scholarship
2021 // nominated for Rotary Art Prize
2020 // Artist Summerschool by The Artist and the Others & Kunstpodium T // Maastricht & Tilborg
2020-22 // Erwin & Gisela Steiner Stiftung Research Scholarship
2020 // Art from Apart Residency // Empfangshallen München
2020 // Artist in Residency // Temporary Utopian Zone // PlatzProjekt Hannover
2018 // Stipendienfond der Akademie der Bildenden Künste München
2017 // First Prize of AkademieVerein Munich 2017
2017 // Second Prize of Fünf Seen Film Festival Media Art Category // Starnberg
2016 // First Prize of AkademieVerein Munich
2016 // Taubenturm Residency // Short Film Festival Dießen am Ammersee
2016 // AlmResidency // Artist in Residency Programme in Oberkammerloh
2016 // Scholarship Venice Summer School
2014 // First Prize of AkademieVerein Munich
2012 // Oskar-Karl-Forster-Stipendium

Collections
Mathias Pschorr Collection
LfA Collection

Publications
2021 // DebutantInnen Katalog // BBK Bayern & Galerie der Künstler
2021 // ROH 2 magazine
2019 // BdK magazine
2019 // Nackte Singularitäten / Ein paar Tage nach der Welt – Katalog
2019 // Platzprojekt Fanzine No2
2016 // Notel Prinzregent Katalog
2016 // Bettgeschichten I by Janina Totzauer with JJ Verlag
2012 // Gedichte und Mannschaft Leben by Janina Totzauer with JJ Verlag
2012 // Zuhause I by Janina Totzauer with JJ Verlag