In her exhibition “Hero”, the artist Monira Al Qadiri, who grew up in Kuwait and now lives in Berlin, focuses on the complex connections between the oil industry, global power and ecological crises. At the centre of the presentation is the motif of the oil tanker, which symbolises consumer capitalism, political interests and the enormous ecological footprint in equal measure. Al Qadiri uses monumental installations to make the presence and menace of this industry tangible — and thus draws attention to social and infrastructural dependencies as well as the lasting damage caused by fossil fuel exploitation.
The groups of works developed especially for the Berlinische Galerie address the topic in various ways: they show bull’s-eye-shaped light objects, hanging miniature oil tankers or use intense colours to artistically translate the deep interweaving of the raw material with our everyday lives. Despite all efforts to achieve an energy transition, the legacy of crude oil still lingers in the sea, air and even our bodies. With “Hero”, Al Qadiri has created an exhibition that powerfully raises awareness of social issues and explores the relationship between prosperity, the environment and responsibility.
