BERLIN.- Iván Argote is a visual artist and filmmaker. His sculptures, installations, films and interventions question our relationships with others, with power structures and with belief systems. Applying strategies that can be tender, affective or humorous, he adopts critical approaches to prevailing historical narratives. Argote organises interventions around monuments to propose new symbolic or political uses for public space.

The Berlinische Galerie is screening two films where he takes a close look at public squares, their history and their significance to urban society: “Levitate” (2022, 25 min) and “La Plaza del Chafleo” (2018, 16 min).

“Levitate” examines the role of monu- ments in European cities. Backed by striking performances, Argote investigates their function as symbols of colonial power. The film records actions he carried out in Rome, Madrid and Paris to draw attention to the violent history of historical monuments and literally to dismantle them. The work is also a vehicle for autobiographical reflections by the artist about his arrival in Europe. Argote challenges us to imagine an alternative future for the community use of space.
“La Plaza del Chafleo” takes its cue from the verb “chaflear”, a word invented by the artist that might mean sunbathe, kiss, protest, rave, amble, dig or juggle. All of these are options for activities in public space. The eponymous “Plaza del Chafleo” is a fictional square defined by the actions of the people using it: Argote’s film playfully creates a utopian place with subversive potential.

Iván Argote was born in Bogotá (Colombia) in 1983. He lives in Paris (France). Argote studied graphic design, photography and new media at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Bogotá and obtained his MFA at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts (ENSBA) in Paris. He is currently working on a permanent installation for the Spreepark in Berlin.

Since 2011 the IBB Video Space has been screening artists who work with time-based media. The pro- gramme features not only established names in contemporary video art but also up-and-coming artists rarely seen in museums to date. For these, the Berlinische Galerie seeks to facilitate an institutional début.

Each screening brings a new encounter with work that raises questions about the medium and about social or political issues. Importance is attached to including marginalised perspectives and to shedding light on the impact of power structures.