Art and War: Steffen Blunk talks about flight and displacement

Art and War: Steffen Blunk talks about flight and displacement

On Thursday, June 16, 2025, at 7:00 p.m., a reading by the artist Steffen Blunk will take place in the Adlershof gallery. The event is part of the exhibition "Play with Fire" and addresses the shaking everyday life in war zones under the title "Somewhere is always a war". Steffen Blunk, who has been dealing intensively with the topics of war, flight and displacement for many years, will read his own texts that are based on his artistic work.

Blunk, who was originally active as a journalist, expresses his experiences in the form of painting. In his work painted in oil on wood, he combines different times and wars. The pictures are characterized by a journalistic distance, which contributes to facilitating access to complex topics. A few years ago, Blunk made an interesting discovery: he found documents about his grandfather, who fell in World War II, which stimulated him about extensive research on the lake war.

Free admission and further information

Entry to the reading is free, and interested parties can find out more about further details about the event on the homepage of the gallery and on the Blunk website.

The topic of war and flight is not only present in Blunk's work, it also shapes the life of many Syrian artists. There has been a devastating civil war in Syria for six years, which has forced many people to flee. These experiences are reflected in art, which often serves as a medium to process war experiences. Jabbar Abdullah initiated the exhibition project "Syria, art and flight" in May 2016, which aims to present art and the experiences of Syrian artists in Europe.

art as an expression of flight

The project gives Syrian artists the opportunity to articulate their view of the political situation in Syria and to take part in social life in their new homeland. Before fleeing, many artists studied art at the University of Damascus, but artistic freedom was severely restricted. Today they use the opportunities that are offered in Europe to draw attention to the situation in Syria and to present both beauty and the brutality of the war.

The works of these artists include various media, including painting, photography, video and sculpture. Cooperation, such as those with Moneygram, enables the exhibition of your work in various branches in Germany. The aim is to create intercultural dialogue and convey new perspectives.

The term "false flag", which is used particularly in the military and intelligence context, has its origin in seafaring. It refers to deception maneuvers, which are often carried out by states or secret services in order to disguise the identity and intentions of the actual actors. Such actions can be used as preliminary walls for military interventions or discredited political opponents. The use of these tactics is not only important in history, but also in current political conflicts.

Blunk's examination of war and the art of the Syrian refugees reflect the reality of the current political landscape, which is often shaped by secret operations and strategic illusions. The reading and the artistic projects not only offer a voice for those affected, but also help to raise awareness of important social issues.