Boat No. III

Introduction

Poetic passages

Bettina Flitner’s series “Boatpeople” put a unique object centre stage: a traditional Burmese boat. The photographer bought the wooden fishing boat at Inle Lake, situated on a plateau high in the Shan Hills along the Chinese border, and transported it to Cologne, where it sits on the Rhine. Filtner photographs a broad range of personalities and groups aboard the craft – including managers, nuns, and transvestites – creating a poetic, calming and humorous procession. The people appear to be on a journey of discovery, moving along the current of life. Self-aware and in distinctive poses, they are the lead actors in theatrical arrangements. We curiously and affectionately speculate about the people’s identities, and we sense the photographer’s joy in telling their stories.

Flitner draws cleverly from the genres of film and photography for her works. She uses her experience as an editor and director to ensure these remarkable projects produce powerful narrative moments. What begins as an idea becomes, through image composition, props, and the choice of distinctive subjects, a harmonious work of art.

Christina Wendenburg

Bio

1961	Born in Cologne, Germany
	Editor at WDR, Germany
1986-1992	Studied at Deutschen Film- und Fernsehakademie, Berlin, Germany
1989-present	Professional Photographer

Exhibitions

2011	Muscarelle Museum of Art, Williamsburg, USA
	Frauenmuseum Wiesbaden, Germany
2011	Ich bin ein Berliner, Dezer Schauhalle, Miami, USA
	In Between Days/ Von Frauenberg Art Gallery, Düsseldorf
	Kernfragen, Haus am Kleistpark, Berlin
	ABC of Painting, Galerie Schuster, Berlin
2010	Malerei, Galerie Dr. messner, Trossingen
	Berliner Salon, Europäischer Kunsthof Ficht, Aachen
	Art Fair 21 Köln, Galerie Schuster, Köln
2009	Scope New York, Galerie Schuster, New York, USA
2008	Scope Miami, Galerie Schusten, Miami, USA
2007	Arcadia, Tactile Bosch, Cardiff, UK
	Salty Tears, Frederik Foert Galerie, Berlin
	Scope Miami, Galerie Schuster, Miami, USA
2006	The fine art of separating people from their money, Frederik Foert Galerie, Berlin
	Art Peking – Frederik Foert Galerie
	Art Fair Köln, Art Karlsruhe, Galerie Kreuzer + Roy, Heimbach
2005	Time Zones, Krings Ernst Galerie, Köln
	Cars and Races, Frederik Foert Galerie, Berlin
2004	Pintura, Galeria Fabio Penacall, Salvador, Brasilien

Solo Exhibitions

2011	Muscarelle Museum of Art, Williamsburg, USA
	Frauenmuseum Wiesbaden, Germany
2009	Urania, Berlin, Germany
2007	Biblioteca National, Madrid, Spain
	Tour&Taxis, Brussels, Belgium
2005	Tampere Art Museum, Tampere, Finland
2004	Swiss Re, Munich, Germany
2003	Frauenmuseum Wiesbaden, Loeper, Germany
2002	Museum für Kommunikation, Berlin, Germany
2001-2002	Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipeh, Taiwan
2001	Ich bin stolz ein Rechter zu sein, Art Cologne, Cologne, Germany
1998	Suermondt, Ludwig Museum, Aachen, Germany
1996	Der Rächer von Dresden Photography-Installation at the festival, Theater der Welt, Dresden, Germany
	Mein Herz Photography-Installation at the Lustgarten Berlin, Germany
	Brückenschlag Photography-Installation, Cologne, Germany

Group Exhibitions

2010	Galerie Zellermayer, Berlin, Germany
2009	Fotofestival Lodz, Fotofestival Luxembourg
2008	ART Cologne, Germany
	Studio Marangoni, Florenz, Italy
2006	Am Strom, Galerie Holtmann, Cologne, Germany
	ART Cologne, Germany
2003	wonderlands, Museum Küppersmühle Sammlung, Grothe, Germany
1999	ART Cologne, Galerie von Loeper, Germany
1997	Fotofestival Groningen, Netherlands
1996	Museum of Contemporary Art, Antwerp, Belgium
1995	Deutschland-Zyklus, 3rd Internationales Bildforum, Herten, Germany
1993	Sie nennen es Liebe, Neue Gesellschaft für Bildende Kunst, Berlin, Germany
	Contemporary German Photography, The Light Factory, North Carolina, USA
1991	Krieg für Frieden, Elefanten-Press Galerie, Berlin, Germany