Artist Talks with Carla Abilés and Mudassir Sheikh

Friday, November 15th 2024 – 6pm 
hosted by SBK – Studio Bildende Kunst  – John-Sieg-Straße 13, 10365 Berlin-Lichtenberg

CARLA ABILÉS, originally from Salta and now based in Berlin, creates art that explores migration, identity, and the intersections of art and labor. Working across installations, photography, painting, and embroidery—including analog tattoo techniques on skin—she often stages American fair-style setups in galleries to highlight connections between exhibitions and commerce.

Drawing inspiration from her surroundings, Carla’s work balances contrasts like beauty and hostility, softness and hardness. Her process varies in pace, reflecting a commitment to patience and organic growth. Textiles play a central role in her recent exploration of migration and feminist narratives. Since relocating to Berlin in 2020, she has contributed to projects across Germany, Spain, and Argentina, including her most recent role on the production team for “Textiles Semillas” under the “99 Questions” program at the Humboldt Forum Museum

MUDASSIR SHEIKH is a Berlin-based musician and multidisciplinary artist of Pakistani origin whose practice encompasses sound, video, text, and radio. He holds an MFA in Media Art from Bauhaus Universität in Weimar, where he developed a unique interdisciplinary approach to art. Growing up in the bustling city of Karachi, Mudassir’s sonic practice is deeply informed by his surroundings, exploring themes of collective trauma, identity, mythology, environmental damage, and decolonial healing.

A recent nominee for the Forecast Platform, Mudassir’s collaborative projects have been featured at prestigious events such as the Istanbul Biennale, Colomboscope, TBA 21, and Oslo Museum. Mudassir’s ongoing research explores Sufi shrines and their close proximity with water bodies as sites of communal healing.

As a sought-after collaborator, Mudassir crafts immersive audio pieces with visual artists across installations, videos and radio productions. His work, which deftly blends instruments, voice, and field recordings, engages with various scenes and subcultures, including ambient, hip-hop, and sampling.