Silke Lapina is a German-Filipino visual artist based in Berlin and Manila remixing pop culture and spirituality.
Silke Lapina's artistic world can be imagined as a place where religious symbols meet the aesthetics of MTV music videos. Her art consistently explores the question of what spirituality means in today's context of secularization. The visual language she employs is influenced by the pop culture imagery of her childhood and youth in the '90s and 2000s, intertwined with the impact of her Filipino-Catholic and Masonic upbringing. This fusion results in a blend of vivid colors and contrasts drawn from pop culture aesthetics, paired with profound spiritual and religious symbolism.
Lapina creates multimedia works that span large-scale photographs printed on textiles, gilded canvases, hand-engraved mirrors, performances, and interactive spatial and light installations. For her, the entire process serves as a form of spiritual practice, drawing upon various meditation techniques and spiritual exercises. This practice is deeply rooted in her long-standing meditation discipline and numerous stays in monasteries.
While receiving a B.A. in Culture- and Social Anthropology at the University of Vienna and M.A. in Religion and Culture at the Humboldt University Berlin, Lapina has also worked as photographer in the live music and fashion industry around the globe.
She has presented several solo exhibitions in Berlin, Hamburg, and Vienna. Her commissions include Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Kirche auf der Bundesgartenschau Mannheim and Adidas Future Studio. She also exhibited internationally, most notably in the United States of America, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Mexico and Nigeria.
Silke authored an art and photo book entitled līlā. Silke Lapina 2014-2018 (2018).
Solo Exhibitions
2023 Holy Hands Bundesgartenschau, Mannheim
2022 Urban Prayers. Off Space, Berlin
2021 Holy Hands. Ibn Rushd – Goethe Mosque, Berlin
2020 99 HOPES. PremArts, Berlin
2019 ALLES LICHT (OHNE ENDE LIEBE). RAP Store, Vienna
2018 You Are The Light. REM Art Space, Vienna
2016 #SPREADTHELOVE. Hamburg
Commissioned Projects
2024 Kumain Ka Na Papaluin Kita (Metropolitan Museum of Manila)
Artist Book
līlā. Silke Lapina 2014-2018 (2018)
Education
Master Religion and Culture, Humboldt University Berlin
Bachelor Culture- and Socialanthropology, University of Vienna
Video Interviews
Artist Talk: Transnationalities DAAD Gallery (2024)
Urban Prayers Exhibition by Danny Kötter (2022)
Press
Hände als Zeichen der Annäherung. Paula Dengs, Les Nouveaux Riches
Group Exhibitions
2024 Transnationalities: The Anthropology of Migration, hosted by Green Papaya (Fellow 2024). Artist Talk together with Lizza May David, Silke Lapina and Jasmin Werner moderated by Patrick D. Flores. DAAD Gallery, Berlin
2023 Silke Lapina x Dennis Fechner, Leuven/Belgium
2023 Heartfix. Ph0n0l0gues, Berlin
2022 JESUS. lebefrauu x qvartr Gallery, Hamburg
2021 RESILIENZ. EightRooms Gallery, Berlin
2021 Open Atelier. Napoleon Komplex, Berlin
2019 Daughters of Zelophehad. Ésskizziert x Kitchen Guerilla, Hamburg
2019 You+I=Light, Lightinstallation. ADIDAS Future Studio, Berlin
2018 Nigeria in Dub. Premarts, Berlin
2017 CRO TRU. Circle Culture Gallery, Berlin
2017 éspassiert x oncrete. Stilwerk, Hamburg
2016 Screen Print Show. REM Art Space, Vienna
2016 Screenshots. Grafik Werkschau Halle 622, Zurich
2015 TrackSetters Entertainment Launch. Hamburg
2014 Fuchsbau Exclusive: Koolmilk x Silke Lapina. Loft.23, Hamburg