Concepción

Graw Böckler

Info: Concepcion sounds like an idea, sounds like – conceptual art. Yes, but no: Concepción is a city, it is located in Chile, it is not very big, but not too small either, it is the city to which this exhibition is dedicated. Ursula and Georg (Graw Böckler) had the opportunity to spend almost three months there, to escape the Berlin winter, to land in the Chilean summer, a successful move supported by a grant from the Berlin Senate. After landing, they discovered the city and the surroundings of the Bio-Bio region with a camera, smartphone and gimbal. The fortunate circumstance that they had been invited by Mario Gomez (DAAD coordinator), who not only organised a flat but also connected them with his social environment, contributed to quickly feeling at home. Just like Mimi – a well-known stray cat – who moved in with them after two weeks of getting to know each other. For taking photos, Graw Böckler visited a rundown boxing club in the suburbs. They were so warmly received that they joined the boxing club and trained there twice a week. The summer was dry and the forest began to burn, so extensively that the Chilean government declared a state of emergency. The wildfires came close, ashes rained down and the sky was darkened by clouds of smoke. (…)