I WANT TO BE AN INSECT

Middelheimmuseum presents the first outdoor solo exhibition by international artist Monster Chetwynd. The exhibition takes its starting point from a new commission for the museum’s collection and unfolds into a landmark presentation of Chetwynd’s multifaceted practice. The interplay between art and nature—creating spaces for feeling, imagination, and resilience—proved a powerful inspiration. Visitors are invited to step into and actively engage with the artist’s imaginative universe.

On the occasion of Museum Night, De Cinema has curated a unique short-film programme inspired by the playful, anarchic world(s) of Monster Chetwynd. Don’t expect a traditional movie night, but a stimulating mix of short films that straddle the line between art and experimentation. These works provoke, entertain, and surprise… Immerse yourself in mysterious stories featuring strange characters.

The title of this programme refers to Chetwynd’s artwork, I Want to Be an Insect Entrepreneur (2018). The programme lasts 60 minutes and will be screened twice—outdoors, in the middle of the exhibition area at the Middelheimmuseum—at 19:30 and 20:30. Free entrance!

• MOTHLIGHT (Stan Brakhage, 1963, US, 4’)
  Wings and other body parts of moths and insects flutter seemingly randomly across the screen. We recognise patterns that resemble the veins of a leaf. At times, they look like paper cutouts, as in Matisse’s work. The avant-garde filmmaker Stan Brakhage created this fascinating film not with a camera, but by pasting elements directly onto film stock.
• ASPARAGUS (Suzan Pitt, 1979, US, 20’)
  ASPARAGUS is an enchanting exploration of artist Suzan Pitt’s inner world and a milestone in the history of animated film. In her magical yet sinister dream world, phallic forms and erotic symbols take center stage. A faceless blonde conjures up objects with vivid colours and sexual connotations.
• SUPERBIA – DER STOLZ (Ulrike Ottinger, 1986, DE, 15’)
  In her films, Ulrike Ottinger parodies familiar cinematic conventions in search of new forms of visual pleasure. In SUPERBIA, the German director and photographer explores the deadly sin of pride. She presents a carnivalesque parade as a symbol of human vanities. Archival footage intersperses the procession with memories of political parades that bear witness to similar extravaganzas.
• SLUG LIFE (Sophie Koko Gate, 2018, GB, 7’)
  We are witness to a young woman’s unconventional attempt to take control of her love life by raising the perfect partner: a beautiful giant snail. Both are wonders of nature, and they seem like a perfect match—until the snail is introduced to the outside world, where it develops a taste for fine dining and intellectual conversations.
• LA CHUTE (Boris Labbé, 2018, FR, 14’)
  In Boris Labbé’s mesmerising loop film, celestial beings descend upon Earth to corrupt its inhabitants. The world order is thrown into disarray. Under these circumstances, a tragic fall gives rise to two crucial opposites: hell and heaven.

This screening is a collaboration between Middelheimmuseum, De Cinema, and De Kern.