Photo: Lucas Christiansen.
adidas Originals celebrated International Women’s day by opening the XCHANGE Space in Berlin’s Kreuzberg neighbourhood with the aim of providing a platform where young female artists could collaborate in a studio environment. adidas Originals started the project in an attempt to raise greater awareness surrounding the under-representation of women in the art industry.
SLEEK spoke to a selection of the participating artists. Feline and Marie Grub are the sister duo that double-up as the artistic pairing known as die Genießer. The twosome, who are known for their pared down approach to drawing, discuss their motivations for approaching art with a sense of fun, growing up in an artistically-inclined household and the importance of the XCHANGE project.
On taking a light-hearted approach to art
“Our projects don’t attempt to be taken too seriously, which is why we are drawn to the works of KAWS, JR and Joakim Ojanan. They are individuals who often present art in a way which interacts with the surrounding urban landscapes. There is an element of surprise to art like this, and we believe that we can inspire others while showing that a light-hearted approach to art is possible.”
On growing up in an environment which encouraged artistic expression
“Our parents are architects, and have created several art installations to accompany their projects. They encouraged us beyond the ordinary, and this is something that we attempt to do with our art.”
On adidas XCHANGE
“Spaces like XCHANGE are very important, but it must be said that it is vital to reach a point in society where the artwork of men and women are treated equally. The gender of an artist should be completely irrelevant to the validity of the artwork. The community aspect of XCHANGE is refreshing, and something which is exciting to be a part of. In a way, it’s like a more focused version of Berlin: this city is geared towards exchanging information with people from all over the world, often of different cultural backgrounds, in order to gain a new perspective.”
The health of artists, adidas partners and fellow human beings is a top priority for adidas. In light of the global spread of COVID-19 and the need to protect the adidas family, the team have had to close the XCHANGE space in Kreuzberg until further notice. Even though the studio will remain closed, adidas will continue to support the artists and remains committed to increasing the visibility of women in the art scene by working together.
CREDITS
Photography: Lucas Christiansen
Styling: Leonie Volk
Hair and makeup: Victoria Reuter
Photographer’s assistant: Max Zimmermann