Director: Michaël Reinhold

Film: “The bear can have a winter sleep, whereas the human can have a valium sleep. When they both wake up, they‘re both looking for their honey. The bear due the lack of food and the human due the lack of love.“

Liminality describes the transitional period or phase of a rite of passage, during which the participant lacks social status or rank, remains anonymous, shows obedience and humility, and follows prescribed forms of conduct, dress, etc.

The putting on of the bear costume and the transboundary performance across the urban landscape symbolizes the tension between individual characteristics, socialization and a return to nature.

The city bear is “betwixt and between”, an intermediate being …

Bio: Michaël Reinhold is a Berlin-based performance artist working within the mediums of film, video, and painting. He holds a BA in Fine Arts from the Zurich University of Arts and will graduate this winter with an MFA in Art and Media from the Berlin University of the Arts, specializing in Experimental and Narrative Film.

His work has been featured at the Kunstverein Friedrichshafen, Tokyo Image Forum Festival, and Run Run Shawn Creative Center (Hong Kong), among others. He is represented by the Art Foundation of the Zeppelin Museum and in many private collections in Switzerland and France.

“Within my artistic practice, I weave together the threads of experimental film and captivating live performances, entwining them into a mesmerizing tapestry of visual storytelling. At the heart of my work lies a fascination with the human psyche and the multifaceted nature of identity. Through a kaleidoscope of characters and alter egos, I delve into the enigmatic depths of the self and explore the intricacies of the human experience.

Each character I embody serves as a vessel through which I can traverse diverse emotional landscapes and traverse the boundary between the familiar and the unknown. Guided by the power of liminality and the surreal, my art transcends conventional narratives, inviting the audience to venture into uncharted territories of perception.”