Book presentation
Jakob Ganslmeier and
Ana Zibelnik
On Thursday 7 May, artist duo Jakob Ganslmeier and Ana Zibelnik return to Foam for the presentation of their new book If a Flower Bloomed in a Dark Room, Would You Trust It?, published by Spector Books.
Join us for an evening hosted by Foam’s senior curator Claartje van Dijk, including a Q&A with the artists to discuss their creative process and the making of the book.
About the publication & the artists
This book follows the online rabbit holes developing from two mainstream social media trends related to self-improvement: fitness and spirituality. The converging narratives—Repeat After Me and Bereitschaft—explore radicalisation from the perspectives of the body and the spirit, as amplified by platforms like TikTok. On the one hand, there is the militaristic pursuit of physical perfection, reflected in the popularisation among young boys of Arno Breker’s 1939 statue Bereitschaft. On the other hand, there is the quest for spiritual awakening and the attempt to rise above societal structures, combined with the belief in being the “chosen one.”
The book builds on extensive visual research into the image rhetorics used by far-right political groups online, especially those employing positive visual language to convey hate messages.
Jakob Ganslmeier and Ana Zibelnik are an artist duo who collaborate on photography and video projects that center on the creation of youth identity, particularly the influence of extreme ideologies on young people. In 2024 their exhibition GIGA was on show at Foam.
Book presentation
Jakob Ganslmeier and
Ana Zibelnik