The group exhibition endeavours to provide an unbiased view of the works of sibling couples who each pursue their own artistic practice. It examines the mutual influence between them.

Brothers and sisters play an important role in our stories. In Judeo-Christian mythology, the first murder is a fratricide: Cain and Abel. A mur- der that takes place due to competition and jealousy. The theme remains in other Biblical stories such as Esau and Jacob or Joseph and his brothers. In Greek mythology there are Oedipus and Electra, among others. For the Romans, the founding of the city by brothers Romulus and Remus, suckled by a wolf. Historically, siblings have also had a special in the History of Art. Think of the Brontë sisters: Emily, Charlotte and Anne. Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell. Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Christina Rossetti. In Germany, the brothers Grimm, the Humboldts. Or the whole Mann family: Heinrich and Thomas Mann, Erika and Klaus Mann. The list goes on, from the halls of Politics to the dark chambers of Entertainment. The Kennedy brothers in Washington. The Baldwin brothers in Hollywood. The Olsen Twins on television. The Sturniolo triplets on TikTok.

When siblings appear in our storytelling, the themes seem to be the constant pendulum opposites: collaboration and competition, pride and jealousy. They may also stem from particular aspects in our culture: how fathers treat sons and daughters differently, just as mothers often treat their sons and daughters differently. The expectations towards a first born son and the ones that follow. The golden boys and what our societies expect from women. The different standards of morality in what is demanded from boys and girls. All this comes into play. Beautiful stories populate our minds too, when it comes to this bond that is so peculiar and common. It is not a coincidence that in certain religions, strangers express their love for one another by calling each other „brother“ and „sister“.Nature or Nurture? How will two artists develop when rased by the same parents and in the same household? Educated in the same schools? Let us think of this particular show at Studio Hanniball. Though we call it internally „the sibling show“, the title is quite suggestive: „You’re driving me nuts!“. Do the siblings drive each other nuts in this show? Here, you will find brothers and sisters working in sculpture and painting, photography and performance. The audience will have the chance to see how differences and similarities play out.

Text von Ricardo Domeneck

Victor Andersen & Villiam Andersen

Dominika Bednarsky & Jagoda Bednarsky

Ferdinand Dölberg & Milan Dölberg

Maria Luise Hummer & Paula Hummer

Barabara Mährlen & Katharina Mährlen

Jela Mijić & Svetlana Mijić

Denis Olgac & Pauline Schey

Music by Acoid & Modem