About
Christoph Both-Asmus is a visual artist who lives and works in Berlin. In 2004, Both-Asmus began his studies of Fine Arts at the AKI Academy of Art and Design in Enschede, Netherlands and completed them in 2010 at the Sandberg Institute / Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam.
For Christoph Both-Asmus, the longing for meaning and the joy of collaboration with other people play roles in his work, as well as the pleasure of being able to create art with his own hands. He is curious about how different the world will be tomorrow and believes in changing existing mind-sets. He uses art to highlight present problems, but also to recognise the still existing beauty and value of our once so green planet. With an interdisciplinary approach, he seeks out how art can make a change.
The multimedia work of Christoph Both-Asmus is often site specific and focused on performance. There for his drawings, installations, sculptures, photography and videos are also frequently performative. Authenticity of his materials plays an important role. He creates his works with natural materials such as plants, fire, ice, soil, and appreciates their value. Manufactured materials are often exposed to natural elements as they are used.
Collaboration with artists, as well as with interdisciplinary natural and social scientists and nature activists, have become an important pillar of Both-Asmus’ work. A few prominent examples include his numerous successful collaborations with the filmmaker Salomé Lamas and his ongoing work with the artist Hervé Youmbi, about the spiritual powers of African masks. In recent years the artist has joined the performances of his mentor David Medalla. As well the NGO Operation Canopy and Prof. Francis Hallé, who is one of the leading botanists in the world.
To gain an understanding of others’ perspectives, Both-Asmus believes in the importance of cultural exchange. He draws inspiration from his many travels, such as venturing to Russia’s Far East to follow the tracks of the last Amur Tigers and Leopards, which are an indicator species for the quality of the environment. And to meet the Udehe, indigenous people, who sustain living of hunting, fishing and foraging. Another important collaoration was with the Akanda National Park in Gabon, Afrika, where he wanted to realise “The Tree Walker”, projekt. Both-Asmus has also spent the last decade making annual visits to Japan, where he developed many of his key works, such as “Requiem” under the influence of the Japanese Arts. Recently, he has been spending time running an interdisciplinary winter school residing in a cave located at the Macizo de Anaga, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve on Tenerife.
Funded by the “Mondriaan Fonds Amsterdam”, and by “ifa - Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen”, as well successfully working with sponsors such as Jack Daniels Whisky and Ortlieb Outdoor, he has been concentrating on developing his idea of “The Tree Walker”, a collaboration across continents, borders, national boundaries, disciplines and identities.
Both-Asmus’ work has been presented in exhibitions throughout Germany, Netherlands, Poland, UK, Portugal, Greece, Japan and the US, p.e. at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin/DE, Center for Polish Sculpture Oronsko/PL and Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei/DE.
Christoph Both-Asmus CV
Education
2008 - 2010
MA - Fine Arts, Sandberg Institute for Fine Arts, Amsterdam/NL
2004 - 2008
BFA - Sculpture, AKI Akademie for Fine Arts and Design, Enschede/NL
Grants &. Residencies
2017
Abenteuer Baumkrone, Residency, Hambacher Forst, Kerpen/DE
2016
International Wood Sculpture Open-Air Symposium, Gdańsk/PL
K Factory, Residency, Douala/CM
ifa - Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen, Künstlerkontakte (Travel/Research-grant), Stuttgart/DE
Ortlieb Outdoor, Sponsoring, Heilsbronn/DE
3iD Gabon, Sponsoring, Libreville/GAB
2015
CAP (Corinth Art Platform), Residency, Corinth/GR
Jack Daniels - Supporter Of The Independent Program, Sponsoring, Hamburg/DE
2014
Kunst im Block, Grant & Residency, Greifswald/DE
2012
Kurt Schwitters ‘DIY’ Summer School, Kurt Schwitters' Last Merzbau: The Elterwater Merz Barn/GB
2011
Mondriaan Fonds, Working-grant, Amsterdam/NL
2010
Blooming Artists, Residency, Bergen an Zee/NL
Solo Exhibitions &. Performances
2017
Inhaling Nature, Whiteconcepts Gallery, Berlin/DE
2016
Requiem, rk-Gallery/Berlin Art Week, Berlin/DE
2015
One Life to Life, CAP (Corinth Art Platform), Corinth/GR
Rivers and Trees, WHITECONCEPTS Gallery, Berlin/DE
A Moment In Time, The 100th Anniversary of Joszéf Brandt’s Death, The Centre of Polish Sculpture, Oronsko/PL
2014
Requiem, Manpower - international art festival, Lisbon/PT
2011
Tree Walker, kuiperdomingos projects, Berlin/DE
2009
Christoph Both-Asmus, Het Torentje, Almelo/NL
2007
Pregnant Man, Coda Museum For Modern Art, Apeldoorn/NL
Group Exhibitions &.Screenings (selection)
2010
2023
Der Wald wird Chor, Kommunale Gallerieberlin, Berlin/DE
Cent Titre(s), Kultuverein am Nauener Platz eV., Berlin/DE
2019
Cat Planet, Tête, Berin/DE
The Universal Sea, Universität der Künste, Berlin/DE
2018
Our Anthropocene: Eco Crisis, The Center For Book Arts, New York/USA
2017
Art Panigiry, CAP (Corinth Art Platform), Corinth/GR
Fresh Paint Art Fair, Tel Aviv/IL
The Intricate Detail - Symbols in Contemporary Art, Whiteconcepts Gallery, Berlin/DE
2016
Who Wants to Die? rk-Gallery, Berlin/DE
Gdańsk Community Foundation &. Center of Polish Sculpture in Orońsko, Gdańsk/PL
Manpower - international art festival, Lisbon/PT
2015
Art Market Budapest, Budapest/HU
The 100th Anniversary of Joszéf Brandt’s Death, The Centre of Polish Sculpture, Oronsko/PL
Spinnereirundgang, Halle14 - Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei, Leipzig/DE
Forest, Global Group 3000, Berlin/DE
Resist Restart, Vesselroom Project, Berlin/DE
2014
Der Innere Reichtum, Essentis Biohotel, Berlin/DE
OPENthewoods, Von Gimborn Arboretum, Doorn/NL
Rhizome, Camden Image Gallery, London/GB
Conquering Places, Greifswald/DE
2013
False Sentimentale, Kunstverein Fulda/DE
Book Fair Amsterdam/NL
Branchings / Verzweigungen, Rosalux, Berlin/DE
Re:Rotterdam - Prospects & Concepts, Rotterdam/NL
2012
Lovely Wilderness, CBK, Roosendaal/NL
English shorts, Sputnik Kino, Berlin/DE
Supermarket Art Fair, Stockholm/SE
2011
Salon, kuiperdomingos projects, Berlin/DE
Attempts To Get Inside The World, Lewisham Arthouse, London/GB
Luxus Loft, Ehemaliges Atelierhaus Friedenstr. 6, Berlin/DE
Green House, Foundation Zet, Amsterdam/NL
2010
Tuyap Art Fair, Istanbul/TR
Post Dort, CBK Dordrecht/NL
Art Pie, Amsterdam/NL
2008
Just Drawing, Het Havenkwartier Te Deventer, Deventer/NL
Just Drawing, Rc De Ruimte, Ijmuiden/NL
Debut, M.I.C.K, Delden/NL
Lectures
2015
The Tree Walker – Lecture, Conference Of The Visionaries, Essentis Biohotel, Berlin/DE
The Tree Walker – Lecture, CAP (Corinth Art Platform), Corinth/GR
The Tree Walker – Lecture, Jack Daniels Annual Tagung Deutschland, East Hotel, Hamburg/DE
The Tree Walker – Lecture, Spinnereirundgang, Halle14 Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei, Leipzig/DE
2014
The Tree Walker – Lecture, Conquering Places, Falladahaus, Greifswald/DE
2010
The Herzogian Moment, Lodge222, Dortrecht/NL
Artist Talks/other
2018
Artist Talk: Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin, HKW (Haus Der Kulturen Der Welt), Berlin/DE
2017
Artist Talk: Inhaling Nature, Whiteconcepts Gallery, Berlin/DE
2016
Panel discussion in trialogues: What does pacifism means nowadays?, Christoph Both-Asmus, (Artist), Dr. Ute Finckh-Krämer (MdB/SPD), Martin Schwarze (Artist), Dr. Hans Jörg Schrötter (Lawyer, Journalist), Katharina Weiß (Social pedagogue, Mediator), Ruthe Zuntz (Artist), rk-Gallery, Berlin/DE
Radio broadcast: The Tree Walker, Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb) Kulturradio, Berlin/DE
Artist Talk: Thinking Like a Forest, Elsa Salonen, Lauren Reid, Christoph Both-Asmus, Toby Tatum, Johannes Braun, Acud, Berlin/DE
Radio broadcast: The Tree Walker at international forest day, Funkhaus Europa, Bremen/DE
2015
Artist Talk: Life &. Art – Christoph Both-Asmus &. David Medalla at Whiteconcepts, Berlin/DE
Artist Talk: The Forest, Global Group 3000, Berlin/DE
Artist Talk: Resist Restart, Reflections on Henry David Thoreau’s ‘Walden’ (1854), Christoph Both-Asmus &. Clement Loisel &. Mit Borras at Vesselroom Project, Berlin/DE
2013
Artist Talk: Branchings – Christoph Both-Asmus &. Pedro Callapéz &. Uwe Poth, Rosalux, Berlin/DE
2012
Artist Talk: English shorts, Sputnik Kino, Berlin/DE
2011
Artist Talk: Tree Walker, kuiperdomingos projects, Berlin/DE
Participation in Performances (selection)
2017
"Mondrian Pavilion": performance by the Mondrian Fan Club (Adam Nankervis and David Medalla), Venice Biennale, Giardini, Vennice/IT
2016
Holy Process, Festival of Ephemeral Art – Contexts (by Chika Takabayashi), Sokolovsko/PL
2014
The Tunnel, (by David Medalla), Another Vacant Space, Berlin/DE
2013
The Egg, (by David Medalla), Saarländische Galerie, Berlin/DE
2009
Theatre of Orgies and Mysteries, Incubate festival, (by Hermann Nitsch), Apeldoorn/NL
Publications
2019
The Universal Sea: Pure or Plastic?! – The Art And Innovation Guide Against The Plastic Epidemic, Publisher: The Universal Sea, Berlin/DE
2018
Our Anthropocene: Eco Crisis, Publisher: The Center Of Book Arts, New York/USA
2016
Sustainable Art Facing The Need for Regeneration, Responsibility And Relations, Publisher: Tako/PL
2011
Earth, Branches, Sky, Green Forrest, Publisher: kuiperdomingos projects, Berlin/DE
2010
20th Istanbul Senat Fuari Art Fair, Publisher: Tüyap Istanbul/TR
2009
Genius Loci – Publisher: Foundation Het Torentje, Almelo/NL
2008
Aki Jaarboek 07/08 – Publisher: AKI, ArtEZ Academie voor Beeldende Kunsten, Enschede/NL
2007
Smart Materials Wearable Technology, Publisher: AKI, ArtEZ Academie voor Beeldende Kunsten, Enschede/NL
Travels &. Projects
2017 - ongoing
Macizo de Anaga, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve on Tenerife, Both-Asmus sets up an Artist in Residence and a Summer School in a cave
2016
Forest of the Giants - Akanda National Park, Gabon, Afrika, preparation for “The Tree Walker” a sustainable, trans cultural and interdisciplinary art project.
Western Cameroon, traveling with Hervé Youmbi to meet the contemporary art scene
2011
Ussuri region, Russia far East, preparation for a performance piece about the encounter with one of the last Siberian Tigers (an indicator species, telling about the quality status of the environment) . And to meet people of the Udehe, (an indigenous minority).
2005 - ongoing
Regular visits to Japan, where Both-Asmus develops many of his key works, such as “Requiem” under the influence of the Zen Culture.
Other Education
2014
Guest Student / 1 semester at MA - Art in Context, UdK Universität der Künste, Interdisziplinäres Projekt Forum, Prof. H. A. Knapp, Berlin/DE
2009
Master Class of Hermann Nietsch, Apeldoorn/NL
2001 - 2003
College for Design, Ferdinand-Braun-Schule, Fulda/DE
Collaborations with the Filmmaker Salomé Lamas
– Both-Asmus is staging and developing performances for Lama’s Films and Videos –
WORK
“The Tree Walker” by Both-Asmus for “Extinção / Extinction (2018)” by Salomé Lamas: HD video, 2:39, black and white, Dolby 5.1 sound, 80 min., Germany-Portugal
SCREENINGS &. FESTIVALS (SELECTion)
2019
Mostra de Films de Dones, Spain
Kubik Gallery – Outbuilding Gallery Luisa Strina – Group Show, Brazil
SALT, Turkey
GEGENkino Leipzig – Salomé Lamas Retrospective, Germany
Costa Rica International Film festival, Costa Rica
TAGV – Teatro Académico Gil Vicente, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
Deptford Cinema in London, UK
McGill University, Canada
2018
RIDM, Canada
IDFA, The Netherlands
São Paulo International Film Fesitval, Brazil
Porto/Post/Doc, Portugal
NMAC – Museu do Chiado – Solo Show, Portugal
Sevilla Festival de Cine – Cine Europeo y Contemporáneo, Spain
Doc Lisboa, Portugal
Fidocs – Salomé Lamas Retrospective, Chile
BlackCanvasFCC, Mexico
Dokufest, Kosovo
Museum of Moving Image NY, USA
Transcinema, Peru
Bertha DocHouse, UK
Artists’ Moving Image, – Tyneside Cinema, UK
CinéDOC-Tbilisi, Georgia
ICA – Institute for Contemporary Art, UK
CPH:DOX, Denmark
Cinema do Reel, France
Theatrical Release: Portugal, UK
VOD: MUBI
WORK
“One Life To Live” by Both-Asmus for “Ubi Sunt III (2016)” by Salomé Lamas: Three-channel HD video installation, 2:39, color, stereo sound, 22min. sync in a loop, Portugal
Festivals &. Screenings (selection)
2017
Solar – Galeria de Arte Cinemática - Solo Show Salomé Lamas, Portugal
WORK
“Requiem” by Both-Asmus for “Ubi Sunt II (2016)” by Salomé Lamas: HD video installation, 2:39, color, stereo, 90min loop, Portugal
Festivals &. Screenings (selection)
2017
Solar – Galeria de Arte Cinemática - Solo Show Salomé Lamas, Portugal
WORK
“One Life To Live” & “Requiem” by Both-Asmus for “Ubi Sunt I (2016)” by Salomé Lamas: HD video, 2:39, color, Dolby 5.1, 30min. Portugal
Festivals &. Screenings (selection)
2019
GEGENkino Leipzig – Salomé Lamas Retrospective,, Germany
La Casa Encendia - Short Film Program "Monograficos", Spain
2018
Fidocs –Salomé Lamas Retrospective, Chile
Berlinische Galerie – Salomé Lamas profile, Germany
Arco Lisboa, Portugal
VideoEx - Salomé Lamas focus, Switzerland
Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin New Cinema and Contemporary Art / Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Germany
Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin, France
Festival de Cinema Luso Brasileiro De Santa Maria da Feira – Salomé Lamas Person in Focus, Portugal
Oberhausen – Salomé Lamas profile, Germany
Go Short, The Netherlands
FICCI, Colombia
Cineteca Nacional – Short film retrospective, Equator
Cineteca Nacional – Short film retrospective, Colombia
Cineteca Nacional – Short film retrospective, Uruguay
MALBA – Short film retrospective, Argentina
Cineteca Nacional – Short film retrospective, Chile
Cineteca Nacional – Short film retrospective, Mexico
Caminhos do Cinema Português, Portugal
Solar – Galeria de Arte Cinemática - Solo Show, Portugal
Cineco, Portugal
Curto Circuito, Spain
Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin New Cinema and Contemporary Art / Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Germany
2017
Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen, Germany
Indie Lisboa, Portugal
2016
Teatro Rivoli, Portugal
TV: RTP, TVCine, Portugal
WORK
“The Tree Walker” by Both-Asmus for “A Torre / The Tower (2015)” by Salomé Lamas HD video, 16:9, black and white, Dolby 5.1 sound, 8 min., Portugal/Germany/Moldova
Festivals &. Screenings (selection)
2019
Francois Ghebaly Gallery, USA
GEGENkino Leipzig – Salomé Lamas Retrospective, Germany
La Casa Encendia - Short Film Program "Monograficos", Spain
2018
Escola de Artes Visuais do Parque Lage, Brazil
Walk&Talk, Portugal
Museu Nacional Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal
Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Coruña, Spain
VB Associação Cultural Videobrasil, Brazil
Fundación Luís Seoane, Spain
Berlinische Galerie – Salomé Lamas profile, Germany
Fuso, Portugal
Festival de Cinema Luso Brasileiro De Santa Maria da Feira – Salomé Lamas Person in Focus, Portugal
Oberhausen – Salomé Lamas profile, Germany
GlogauAIR gGmbH, Germany
Cineteca Nacional – Short film retrospective, Equator
Cineteca Nacional – Short film retrospective, Colombia
Cineteca Nacional – Short film retrospective, Uruguay
2017
MALBA – Short film retrospective, Argentina
Cineteca Nacional – Short film retrospective, Chile
Cineteca Nacional – Short film retrospective, Mexico
Casa del cinema / Videoteca Pasinetti, Italia
Berlin Atonal, Germany
Loop Discover Awards, Spain
Córtex - Festival de Curtas Metragens de Sintra, Portugal
Anthology Film Archive – Salomé Lamas Special Program, USA
Forum Schlossplatz, Switzerland
Cinemateca – Museu do Cinema, Portugal
daadgalerie, Germany
2016
Museo Universidad de Navarra, Spain
Scanorama- Salomé Lamas Focus, Lithuania
Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur – Salomé Lamas Person in Focus, Switzerland
Cinéphèmére FIAC Foire Internationale d'Art Contemporain, France
Festival Tous Courts - Aix en Provence, France
MAAT - Museu de Arte Arquitectura e Tecnologia, Portugal
CineEco, Portugal
Fuso, Portugal
FID Marseille, France
Arco.Lisboa, Portugal
Academia Portuguesa de Cinema - Gala de Prémios Sophia, National Competition, Portugal
Oblíqua / Mostra Internacional de Videoarte & Cinema Experimental, Portugal
Node Center, Germany
HANGAR - Solo Show, Portugal
Les Rencontres Internationales Nouveau Cinema et Art Contemporain in Berlin, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Germany
TABAKALERA – Artist of the Month, Spain
Les Rencontres Internationales Nouveau Cinema et Art Contemporain, France
Museum of Moving Image, USA
2015
Cinemateca – Museu do Cinema, Portugal
Caminhos do Cinema Português, Portugal
Darb1718, Egypt
Festival Nouveau Cinema, Canada
Curt’Arruda - Salomé Lamas Focus, Portugal
Curtas Vila do Conde, Portugal
Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Serralves - Exhibition Salomé Lamas: Parafiction, Portugal
Video Installation Edition
Fundação EDP/MAAT Museu de Arte Arquitectura e Tecnologia - collection, Portugal
Harvard Film Archive (HFA) / Harvard University - collection, USA
Video Installation Edition: CNAP – Centre National de Arts Plastiques - collection, France
2017
Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen, DE
Indie Lisboa, PT
2016
Teatro Rivoli, (ante-premiere) Porto, PT
WORK
A Torre / The Tower 8’ (2015) b&w, stereo (without dialogues), PT, DE, MD. Short film directed by Salomé Lamas in collaboration with Christoph Both-Asmus (based on the original idea of THE TREE WALKER)
Screenings &. Festivals (selected)
2017
KINOSCOPE At Anthology Film Archives, New York, USA
Forum Schlossplatz, CH
Cinemateca – Museu do Cinema, PT
daadgalerie, Berlin, DE
2016
Museo Universidad de Navarra, ES
Scanorama- Salomé Lamas Focus, LT
Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur – Salomé Lamas Person in Focus, CH
Cinéphèmére FIAC Foire Internationale d'Art Contemporain, FR
CineEco, PT
Fuso, PT
FID Marseille, FR
Arco.Lisboa, PT
Academia Portuguesa de Cinema - Gala de Prémios Sophia, National Competition, PT
Oblíqua / Mostra Internacional de Videoarte & Cinema Experimental, PT
Node Center, DE
Gala de Prémios Sophia, National Competition Academia Portuguesa de Cinema, Lisbon/PT
ACUD macht neu – Thinking Like a Forest, Acud, Berlin/DE
Les Rencontres Internationales – Possible Worlds, Haus der Kulturen der Welt Berlin/DE
I am looking at that Wardrobe but it was smaller, HANGAR, Lisbon/PT
TABAKALERA, San Sebastián/ES
Les Rencontres Internationales Nouveau Cinema et Art Contemporain, Paris/FR
NYC Museum of Moving Image, New York/USA
2015
Cinemateca - O Dia mais Curto - Agencia da Curta Metragem, Lisbon/PT
Caminhos do Cinema Português, (Special Mention: Press Award), Lisbon/PT
Darb 1718, Cairo/EG
Festival Nouveau Cinema, Montreal/CA
The 100th Anniversary of Joszéf Brandt’s Death, The Centre of Polish Sculpture, Oronsko/PL
Curtas Vila do Conde International Short Film Festival, Vila do Conde/PT
Exhibition - Salomé Lamas – Parafiction (avant-premiere), Serralves Museum, Porto/PT
Awards
Caminhos do Cinema Português Special Mention Press Award, Portugal
Video Installation Edition
Fundação EDP/MAAT Museu de Arte Arquitectura e Tecnologia - collection, PT
Harvard Film Archive (HFA) / Harvard University - collection, USA