ART.PROTEST.ART
Using the same tools and methods I employed for my art exhibited in galleries, I now paint banners that become art objects. The difference is that they are seen by larger crowds on the streets rather than just in white cube gallery spaces. They are anonymous, unsigned by the artist—transforming the art into a pure medium for delivering a message without the context of the art world. Art serves an idea, a statement. At the same time a question arises about the definition of art - are activist banners art? If they are made by the artist? Or are they applied art, as they are anonymously displayed on protests?
By exhibiting these banners and signs in art galleries again, the circle completes and becomes a spiral in additional dimension - time, as every change happens in time. In the next stage of transformation I return to "classical" art and illustrate activist actions and protests. This sinusoid process becomes a starting point for discussions about the role of art in today’s political world.
Already since 2017, I have been exhibiting various banners and artifacts on various exhibitions, both in art galleries and less formal spaces.
Traces of Solidarity
Galerie Grolman
Grolmanstr. 51, Berlin
22–24.11.2024
𝗘𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 with initiatives, artists and friends highlighting queer and feminist perspectives from the Eastern European and Balkan Diaspora with artefacts, thoughts and feelings: Traces of Solidarity – remnants of self-organised common welfare and care practices. Part of this project is also an exchange about transnational solidarity between the initiatives on the 21st, which will be documented and published soon, starting an online & physical archive.
Exhibitors: @politicalkitchenberlin @nettlesandpoppies @macro.plate.now @dziewuchy_berlin @diasporacivicaberlin @wirsindhier_berlin @lets.unsettle
@sabbath.berlin @feminist.translocalities @koopkultur @schoolofimpermanence
Project organized by @urbanepraxisberlin. The theme was initiated by @kristin.laz . The exhibition and exchange is curated by @ohrliver & @akasharmul .
Polaroid: Joanna Szproch
Liberty, Equality, Solidarność.
Polish Viewpoints in Berlin
Open Space | Berlin Exhibition at the Humboldt Forum,
Stadtmuseum Berlin, Schloßplatz, 10178 Berlin
01.06.2024–26.01.2026
The exhibition consist of 3 main elements: a map of Berlin with 7 spaces symbolizing Polish historical and contemporary struggles for liberty, equality and solidarity; spatial installation with lace walls, 3 red designer chairs (Roman Modzelewski) and with an art object - KPM coffee cup with broken rand. The installation is the 8th place of contemporary and future struggles for liberty, equality and solidarity in the heart of Berlin and imperialist building. The third part of the exhibition is a video installation with 3 film works by Anna Krenz, Ewa Maria Slaska and Jemek Jemowit.
My activist works are displayed on 3 of the spaces on the map - Warschauer Brücke, the location of the Black Protest (3.10.2016) and the Monument to Those Fighting for Our and Your Freedom (renamed by us) in Volkspark Friedrichshain, where we organised many protests and performative actions (2020). The third location if Irena Bobowska's Tree of Remembrance (2024). Lace textiles are a direct reference to some of my works ("Polish Wife" and "Botschaft der Polinnen*") as well as to banners I made for feminist protests.
Concept, texts, architecture: Anna Krenz
Project leader: Sophie Perl | Stadtmuseum Berlin
Freiheit, Gleichheit, Solidarność.
The Open Space “Liberty, Equality, Solidarność” in the BERLIN GLOBAL exhibition © Ewa Maria Slaska, Anna Krenz, Jemek Jemowit | Stadtmuseum Berlin, photo Michael Setzpfandt
Sisters in Arms
Exhibition & Performance
Halfsister, Berlin
8.07.2023
An evening with the opening of a pop-up exhibition on the political and literary friendship between the writers Bettina von Arnim from Berlin and Julia Woykowska from Poznan, and the time of the March Revolution and the Spring of Nations. The opening was accompanied by a performative reading of letters and excerpts from the books of both writers, in a contemporary dialogue between the actress Mareike Wenzel from Berlin and the artist Anna Krenz from Poznan, which relates to current struggles for freedom.
Julia Woykowska & Bettina von Arnim
Botschaft der Polinnen*
Polish protest art in Berlin
Exhibition & Congress
14th Congress of Women, Hala Stulecia, Wrocław
8-9.10.2022
I was invited by the Wrocław office of the European Parliament to present artworks and artifacts of my activist work in Berlin. I presented banners, drawings and posters as well as photos from our actions by Wojtek Drozdek, Oliver Feldhaus, Gabriella Falana, Sabrina Gröschke, Liam Hayes, Camilla Lobo, Patrycja Makucewicz, Maciej Soja, Dorota Szpajda, Marzena Zajączkowska, Michał Żak.
The exhibition finances by the European Parliament
Siostry* Preis
Exhibition & Event
Haus der Statistik, Berlin
28.09.2022
Exhibition accompanying the award ceremony of the Siostry*Preis for Good Sisterhood and Feminist Cooperation by the collective Dziewuchy Berlin. The ceremony took place on September 28, 2022 – International Safe Abortion Day.
The event was part of Draussenstadt and was financed by the Stiftung für kulturelle Weiterbildung und Kulturberatung / Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Europa
Photo: Maciej Soja / Soja Photography
Botschaft der Polinnen*
Polish protest art in Berlin
Exhibition & Theatre
Theaterhaus Berlin Schöneweide th2, Schnellerstraße 104, 12439 Berlin
8.03.2022
Botschaft der Polinnen* presents a pop-up exhibition of posters and banners Anna Krenz created for actions and demonstrations in Berlin, organised by Dziewuchy Berlin against right-wing conservative politics in Poland, and in defense of women’s rights in Poland and Germany along with photographic documentation of milestone activities of Dziewuchy Berlin. Exhibition accompanying the German premiere of theatre piece „Heartburn“, created and produced by Cosmino Productions.
Botschaft der Polinnen*
Polish protest art in Berlin
Opening and group exhibition
Haus der Statistik / Raum D 3.9, Otto-Braun-Strasse 70-72, 10178 Berlin
22–29.06.2020
A spatial collage was created in Botschaft Der Polinnen with the following elements: the exhibition “Polish Protest Art in Berlin” / “Polnische Protestkunst in Berlin” (Anna Krenz, feat. Wojtek Drozdek, Oliver Feldhaus, Camilla Lobo, Maciej Soja, Michał Żak), the Golden Letter – an art object (Małgorzata A. Bartula, Anna Krenz, Moritz J. Pankok) and the “Berlin Declaration of the Many” / Berliner Erklärung der Vielen“ – presentation of the #DieVielen initiative.
Opening of the Botschaft der Polinnen*
Nigdy nie będziesz szła sama
Group exhibition
Galeria Labirynt, ul. ks. J. Popiełuszki 5, Lublin, Poland
13.12.2020–16.05.2021
"You Will Never Walk Alone is an exhibition-manifesto of solidarity with women who took to the streets after the ruling issued on October 22, 2020 by Julia Przyłębska's Constitutional Tribunal. As a result, Poland found itself in the inglorious group of countries with the most restrictive abortion laws in the world. That is why women protested, demanding freedom of choice and the right to decide about their own lives."
You will never walk alone
Feminist Futures
Exhibition at the International Festival «FEMINIST FUTURES»
12.-15.9.2019, Zeche Zollverein, Essen
Exhibition of artifacts made by Anna Krenz for demonstrations of Dziewuchy Berlin.
FEMINIST FUTURES: "Everything is in motion: Feminists* with different experiences and backgrounds come together again or for the first time. Actions emerge that focus on something common without concealing differences. Thus, a unity in difference becomes possible. They combine feminist and queer-feminist concerns with consistent critique of capitalism and class politics. We too want to make progress in this direction. In order to strengthen and further develop the movements, we need spaces for debates in order to learn from each other." Festival organised by The Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, the Care Revolution network and the Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie.
Die Hälfte der Welt gehört uns!
Alpha nova kulturwerkstatt & galerie futura
Am Flutgraben 3, 12435 Berlin, Germany
8.3.–21.3.2019
For the first time in German history, International Women's Day will be celebrated as a public holiday in Berlin on March 8, 2019! On the occasion of this historic day, alpha nova & galerie futura invites you to the exhibition: Half the world belongs to us! Inspired by the film of the same name and organized by curator Anke Therese Schulz, the exhibition will present new feminist posters that address the ideals and goals of the global women's movement, e.g.: gender equality, violence against women, reproductive rights, refugee rights, labor rights, social justice and queer identities. Artists from the Berlin Women's Museum, the Berlin collective "Migrantas", the Argentinian collective "Nosotras Proponemos" as well as Berlin and international artists are involved in the exhibition.
Exhibition with: Kollektiv Migrantas, Kollektiv Nosotras Proponemos, Hersilia Alvarez, Julie August, Angiola Bonanni, Judith Brunner, Birgit Cauer, Katia Fouquet, Julija Goyd, Eliza Hatch, Anna Krenz/ Frauen*Streik Komitee Berlin, Verena Kyselka, Regina Pedersen, Franziska Schaum/ Künstlerinnengruppe Häppi Töle, Lena Szankay, Gisela Weimann, Sibylla Weisweiler
curator: Anke Therese Schulz
Gallery Website >>>
Da Capo al Fine
Exhibition at the Festiwal Nowej Sztuki lAbiRynT in Frankfurt and Słubice
Słubice Culture Center SMOK
2019
Exhibition by Longina Poterek-Krenz (1946-2019), Anna Krenz (1976)
In the mother-daughter duo, next to works on textile by Longina Poterek-Krenz, which tell an universal story about a woman, lace banners from protests and photo documentation of actions of the Dziewuchy Berlin collective are a sign of contemporary struggles.
European Women's Congress
Exhibition / Congress
Zamek Książąt Pomorskich, ul. Korsarzy 34, 70-540 Szczecin
28.9.2019
European Women's Congress. Relations (from) the Borderlands is a meeting with social leaders, activists, women in politics, science and business – people working for social change and women's equality. Part of the Congress is the exhibition of posters and banners by Anna Krenz created for actions and demonstrations in Berlin, organised against right-wing conservative politics in Poland, and in defence of women's rights in Poland and Germany. Featuring photographers: Wojtek Drozdek, Oliver Feldhaus, Camilla Lobo, Monika Saczyńska, Maciej Soja, Michał Żak.
100 flag na 100 lecie uzyskania
praw wyborczych przez Polki
Group Exhibition
Centralne Muzeum Włókiennictwa / Central Museum of Textiles, Łódź
17.5.-28.7.2019
"The exhibition "100 flags for the 100th anniversary of Polish women's voting rights" held at the Central Textile Museum in Łódź from 17/05 to 28/07 2019 is the result of the artistic happening "100 FLAG March", which took place in Warsaw in November 2018 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Polish women gaining the right to vote."
Curators: kuratorzy: Marta Kowalewska, Kolektyw 100 FLAG
More on Museum's Website (in Polish) >>>
Photo: Marsz 100 Flag / Muzeum Włókiennictwa
Bewegende Zeiten
Group Exhibition
ZK/U Zentrum für Kunst und Urbanistik, Berlin
24.5.2019
The exhibition "Moving Times"
Photographers and artists: Anna Krenz, Andi Weiland, Julian Stummvoll, Markus Spiske, Nora Börding, Oliver Feldhaus, Denis Romanescu, Marlin, Helene, Stefan Borghardt, fabi.
Curator: Anna Glaeser
Dziewuchy Berlin
in Szczecin
Exhibition
I Transgraniczny Festiwal Kobiet w Szczecinie
Kolektyw – Niezależne Centrum Obywatelskie, Szczecin
9.3.2019
Dziewuchy Berlin visited the sister collective - Dziewuchy Szczecin. During the 1st Cross-Border Women's Festival in Szczecin, the opening of Anna Krenz's exhibition took place at the Kolektyw – Independent Civic Centre, with graphics, posters, drawings, photos from actions and protests, and banners used by the Dziewuchy Berlin at demonstrations. This is another edition of the constantly growing Art / Protest / Art project, which premiered in 2017 at the Berlin Schau Fenster Gallery. The photos from the actions were taken by the photographers: Michał Żak, Oliver Feldhaus, Maciej Soja and Bündnis für sexuelle Selbstbestimmung.
100 flag na 100 lecie uzyskania
praw wyborczych przez kobiety
Group Exhibition
Biuro Wystaw, Krakowskie Przedmieście 16/18 lok. 4, Warsaw
29.11.2018-08.03.2019
The exhibition presenting flags prepared as part of the campaign "One Hundred Flags for the Centenary of Women's Voting Rights".
Organisation: Aga Szreder, Aleka Polis, Rafał Żwirek, Lena Wilemska, Krzysztof Wiluch, Agata Korba, Tomasz Chwiałkowski, Marta Skuza, Natalia Żychska, Agnieszka Żechowska, Anna Sałata, Ewa Galin, Edka Jarząb.
Content support: Ewa Majewska
MARCH of 100 FLAGS for 100 YEARS WOMENS’ VOTING RIGHTS IN POLAND
March
START: Warszawa, Pl. Zamkowy
24.11.2018, 12.00
MARCH of 100 FLAGS for 100 YEARS WOMENS’ VOTING RIGHTS IN POLAND
Over 200 artists created flags that became part of the performance March of 100 FLAGs! on November 24, 2018. My lace Polish flag with inscription "Wolna PolSka" (Free Poland/ Free Polish woman) was presented.
Organisation: Aga Szreder, Aleka Polis, Rafał Żwirek, Lena Wilemska, Krzysztof Wiluch, Agata Korba, Tomasz Chwiałkowski, Marta Skuza, Natalia Żychska, Agnieszka Żechowska, Anna Sałata, Ewa Galin, Edka Jarząb.
Content support: Ewa Majewska
Photo: Agata Kubis / OKO.press
DECYDENTKI
Group Exhibition
Dom Norymberski, Kraków
8.03.2018 – 29.03.2018
DECISION MAKERS. THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE.
Celebrating 100 years of women voting rights in Poland.
Artists: Bettina Bereś, Pamela Bożek, Susanne Carl, Katrina Daschner, Iwona Demko, Monika Drożyńska, Paulina Górniak, Ute Grabowsky, Grupa 20 minut (Katarzyna Godyń-Skoczylas, Małgorzata Kaczmarska, Elżbieta Sowa), Katharina Gruzei, Dorota Hadrian, Nora Klein, Kolektyw Łaski (Jagoda Kwiatkowska, Anna Shimomura, Julia Golachowska), Maria Kossak, Anna Krenz, Katarzyna Kukuła, Małgorzata Markiewicz, Iza Moczarna-Pasiek, Malwina Niespodziewana, Joanna Pawlik, Paulina Poczęta, Joanna Rzepka-Dziedzic, Magdalena Samborska, Ola Stodółka, Elizabeth Thallauer, Emilia Turek, Agata Zbylut i Kolektyw Złote Rączki. Gościnie: Bogna Burska, Valie Export, Zuzanna Janin, Katarzyna Kozyra, Ulrike Rosenbach.
Curators: Iwona Demko, Renata Kopyto
More on the gallery website (in Polish) >>>
Catalogue in Issuu (in Polish and German) >>>
the artist
as curator’s art vol. VII
Exhibition
SCHAU FENSTER | Raum für Kunst, Lobeckstr. 30-35, 10969,Berlin
23.9.–15.10.2017
Artists Erik Andersen, Sebastian Haslauer, Anna Krenz, Oliver Mark, Lisa Mühleisen, Römer + Römer, Bodo Rott, Susanne Schirdewah, Witte Wartena, Gijs Weijer.
Curator: Jan Kage
Invited artists were previously curating exhibitions at the Schau Fenster. Now they became the art of the curator Jan Kage.
Tausend und ein Wort – Polnische Protestkunst in Berlin.
Exhibition
SCHAU FENSTER | Raum für Kunst, Lobeckstr. 30-35, 10969,Berlin
3.-19.2.2017
An exhibition of posters and banners by Anna Krenz, created for demonstrations in Berlin against right-wing conservative politics in Poland. Feat. photos documenting various demonstrations and actions, taken by activists and/or photographers: Wojtek Drozdek, Oliver Feldhaus, Monika Saczyńska, Maciej Soja, Marian Stefanowski and Michał Zak.
Opening program: concert: Two Times Twice; Performance: Gosia Gajdemska “Ein und…”
Photo: Maciej Soja / Soja Photography
