Elian Somers

archieven - artistiek onderzoek - fotografie - video - installatie

With a background in photography and architecture, Elian Somers investigates the urban utopian landscape, in particular the interplay between architecture and urbanism, ideologies and (geo)politics.
Since 2007 she has been working on long-term projects, such as A Stone from the Moon (2015-2022), One and Another State of Yellow (2013-2017), Border Theories (2009-2013), California City (2010-2012) and Droom als er ooit een was (2006-2008). In these projects she is in search of constructed realities and truths, hidden and virtual histories, and the utopian experiment. Multiple realities, histories and truths intermingle in her works.
The works can be perceived as critical tools for understanding and figuring out the present and the future. Through the combination of photography, cartography and archival materials - from documented and accepted knowledge sources to their undocumented, ungraspable and controversial counterparts - alternative and unexpected perspectives on reality, truth and history are brought to light and generated.

  • Portfolio
  • Activiteiten
  • Toekenningen
  • Contact

    • The Streets Are our Brushes, the Squares our Palettes

    Tentoonstelling / presentatie

    • 03-09-2022 t/m 15-10-2022
    • Locatie: Pennings Foundation, Eindhoven
    • Duo exhibition The Streets Are our Brushes, the Squares our Palettes, by Ine Lamers and Elian Somers at Pennings Foundation, Eindhoven (NL)
    • https://www.penningsfoundation.com

    The Streets Are our Brushes, the Squares our Palettes

    Overig

    • 15-10-2022
    • Locatie: Pennings Foundation, Eindhoven
    • Discussion event / salon at the exhibition The Streets are Our Brushes, the Squares our Palettes by Ine Lamers and Elian Somers. With contributions by the artists Marjolijn Boterenbrood, Ine Lamers and Elian Somers, and curator, researcher and writer Masha Domracheva
    • https://www.penningsfoundation.com

    Lucy Art Residency Talks Program

    Lezing

    • 31-07-2021 t/m 01-08-2021
    • Locatie: Lucy Art Residency, Kavala
    • Discussion event and presentation at Lucy Art Residency Talks Program in Kavala (GR). With contributions by Assaf Hinden, Milo Keller, Marten Lange, Stephanie Moshammer, Elian Somers and Grzegorz Stefanski
    • https://lucyartresidency.com

    The Other Landscape

    Lezing

    • 26-03-2019
    • Locatie: ZAP/Stadkamer, Zwolle
    • Lecture The Other Landscape at Stichting ZAP (Zwols Architectuur Podium), Zwolle (NL)
    • https://stichtingzap.nl

    World of Noon #3 - On Urbanism and the Cultural Cold War

    Project

    • 22-11-2018
    • Locatie: Berlinische Galerie, Berlin
    • Lecture performance and organisation (together with Air Berlin Alexanderplatz, ABA) of the program World of Noon #3 - On Urbanism and the Cultural Cold War, at the Berlinische Galerie, Berlin. With contributions by the artist and filmmaker Lene Berg, ZK/U (Center for Art and Urbanistics) - Olesia Vitiuk, Elian Somers and Carola Hein, professor and head of the History of Architecture and Urban Planning Chair at Delft University of Technology
    • https://airberlinalexanderplatz.de

    One and Another State of Yellow

    Overig

    • 23-09-2017
    • In samenwerking met: Fw:Books
    • Locatie: Unseen, Amsterdam
    • Presentation of the new book One and Another State of Yellow at Unseen Book Market, Amsterdam. Published by Fw:Books / Design by Hans Gremmen / Texts by Elian Somers, Francien van Westrenen / Edition of 300 / 24×33,5 cm
    • https://fw-books.nl/

    The Guide, the Author and the Scientist

    Overig

    • 26-08-2017
    • Locatie: Het Wilde Weten, Rotterdam
    • Discussion event / salon The Guide, the Author and the Scientist, Disclosed #8, Het Wilde Weten, Rotterdam. With multi media installation by Ine Lamers, lecture performance Was it a Meteorite? by Elian Somers and lecture by guest speaker Raymond van den Boogaard
    • https://www.hetwildeweten.nl

    Utopian Dreams

    Tentoonstelling / presentatie

    • 22-04-2016 t/m 10-07-2016
    • Locatie: TENT, Rotterdam
    • Exhibition Utopian Dreams at TENT, Rotterdam, with works by Wim Gijzen, John Körmeling, Claes Oldenburg, Rem Koolhaas-OMA, Utopia, Atelier Van Lieshout; Elfie Tromp, Elian Somers, Richard Hutten, Han Hoogerbrugge, Cookies. The exhibition is curated by Reyn van der Lugt in collaboration with Mariette Dölle and Marjolein van de Ven
    • https://www.tentrotterdam.nl

    Border Theories

    Tentoonstelling / presentatie

    • 16-02-2013 t/m 07-04-2013
    • Locatie: Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam, Amsterdam
    • Solo exhibition Border Theories at Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam
    • https://www.smba.nl

    Border Theories

    Overig

    • 23-03-2013
    • In samenwerking met: Fw:Books
    • Locatie: Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam, Amsterdam
    • Presentation of the new book Border Theories at Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam. Published by Fw:Books / Design by Hans Gremmen / Texts by Elian Somers, Kerstin Winking and Hester van Gent / Edition of 500 / 24x34 cm
    • https://fw-books.nl/

    Between de Map and the Territory

    Tentoonstelling / presentatie

    • 06-09-2012 t/m 04-11-2012
    • Locatie: TENT, Rotterdam
    • Exhibition Between de Map and the Territory, with works by Bik van der Pol, Karin Hueber, Maaike Gouwenberg and Joris Lindhout, Anna Okrasko, Elian Somers, Emily Whitebraed, curated by Mariette Dölle
    • https://www.tentrotterdam.nl

    Learning from... Rotterdam

    Tentoonstelling / presentatie

    • 24-06-2012 t/m 02-09-2012
    • Locatie: Kunsthalle Wilhelmshaven, Wilhelmshaven
    • Exhibition Learning from... Rotterdam, with works by Elian Somers, Kim Bouvy, Oliver Godow and Jost Wischnewski, curated by Viola Weigel

    Air Berlin Alexanderplatz

    Residenties / uitwisseling

    • 01-09-2015 t/m 31-12-2015
    • Locatie: ABA, Berlin
    • Working period at Air Berlin Alexanderplatz (ABA), Berlin. ABA is a residency program based in the centre of Berlin. ABA hosts international artists, designers, curators, architects and critical writers. Residents work on specific projects related to the city of Berlin with a focus on research-based practice
    • https://airberlinalexanderplatz.de

    (In)constancy of Space

    Tentoonstelling / presentatie

    • 26-08-2016 t/m 02-10-2016
    • Locatie: Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam
    • Exhibition (In)constancy of Space, with works by Anke Van den Berg, Robbie Cornelissen, Tanja Deman, Darko Fritz, Antonio Grgić, Igor Grubić, Zachary Formwalt, Željko Kipke, Zlatko Kopljar, Margareta Lekić, Ferenc Molnar, Zoltan Novak, Neli Ružić, Sara Rajaei, Sandro Setola, Rik Smits, Elian Somers, Marjan Teeuwen, Rob Voerman, Danijel Žeželj, and curated by Neva Lukić and Vanja Babić

    One and Another State of Yellow - From the Monument

    Tentoonstelling / presentatie

    • 28-02-2016
    • Locatie: Open! Platform for Art, Culture and the Public Domain,
    • Presentation of the work One and Another State of Yellow - From the Monument at Open! Platform for Art, Culture and the Public Domain, as part of the project Culture of Control, a collaborative project of Open! and Stroom, Den Haag
    • https://www.onlineopen.org/

    Rotterdam and the River

    Overig

    • 01-06-2016
    • Locatie: TENT, Rotterdam
    • Discussion event Rotterdam and the River, TENT, Rotterdam. With contributions by a.o. John Körmerling, Elian Somers, Reyn van der Lugt, Christine de Baan, Riek Bakker and De Urbanisten
    • https://www.tentrotterdam.nl

    Erkenningen

      Stipendium

    • Stichting Stokroos

    • 2022
      Stipendium

    • Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds, Bijdrage Tijl Fonds

    • 2021
      Stipendium

    • Mondriaan Fonds, Projectinvestering

    • 2019
      Stipendium

    • Mondriaan Fonds, Werkbeurs Bewezen Talent

    • 2017
      Stipendium

    • CBK Rotterdam, Onderzoek en Ontwikkeling Subsidie

    • 2017
      Stipendium

    • Mondriaan Fonds, Residency Air Berlin Alexanderplatz

    • 2015
      Prijs

    • Runner-Up Lucy Art Residency 2020/21

    • 2021
      Prijs

    • Nomination Dutch Doc Award 2014 (longlist)

    • 2014
      Prijs

    • Nomination Prix de Rome 2013 (longlist)

    • 2013
      Prijs

    • Nomination Bouw in Beeldprijs 2010

    • 2010
      Publicatie

    • Border Theories

    • 2013
    • Artist Book
    • Fw:Books - Elian Somers
      Publicatie

    • One and Another State of Yellow

    • 2017
    • Artist Book
    • Fw:Books - Elian Somers
      Publicatie

    • MONU#35 Unfinished Urbanism, California City

    • 2022
    • Magazine
    • -
      Publicatie

    • Feuilleton, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Border Theories

    • 2021
    • Magazine
    • -
      Publicatie

    • Open! Platform for Art, Culture and the Public Domain, Artist contribution One and Another State of Yellow - From the Monument

    • 2016
    • Online Platform
    • -
      Publicatie

    • Bauwelt 24.2015, Stadt 206, Ungebaute Städte, California City

    • 2015
    • Magazine
    • -
      Publicatie

    • Foam Magazine #24, Talent, Droom als er ooit een was

    • 2010
    • Magazine
    • -