In the new edition of Chromatic Wednesdays, held in cooperation with «Twister», an exhibition project at the neue Gesellschaft für bildende Kunst  nGbK, 26 February – 30 April 2022) , a panel looking at the experiences of oppression and censorship by authoritarian regimes that oppose non-normative gender and sexualities was held. The LGBTQI+ artist Amina Maher offered insights into how artists use artistic expression to overcome normative discourses, and how creativity can serve as a form of survival that provides hope for real and lasting change. 
Maher’s film «Letter to My Mother» is an autobiographical short documentary, in which she intimately addresses her trauma of sexual violence. It explores feelings of shame, fear, and guilt, using the medium film as a tool for healing and understanding. The formal and stylistic choices embrace both a radically intimate perspective and the exposure of social taboos, pushing the boundaries of film to achieve a cathartic and emancipatory experience. 
Following the screening, Maher talked about the production of the film and its thematization of self-exploration, family politics, and trauma therapy. In conversation with Şirin Fulya Erensoy, she also shared her experiences as a refugee fleeing political persecution in Iran and the realities of life as a trans woman in Berlin.

For more information on Chromatic Wednesdays: http://berlin.apartmentproject.org/chromatic-wednesdays-en/

For more information on the Twister exhibition: https://ngbk.de/en/show/685/twister 

To listen to the entire panel, please click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t_ojQThGn0