Berlin / Stockholm based artist, writer and director – Michael S. Bekele
Flower
Flower Studio is a desk, floating between Berlin and Stockholm, occupied by Michael S. Bekele. For the past 8 years the desk has gladly rendered artistic, direction, writing and production services.
Michael S. Bekele is entangled with a language based practice centred around the somatic and subconscious. The ambition is to explore and empathise with the human condition, while creating collective experiences rooted in the hyper- and surreal. Since the studio's establishment in 2017 there has been a continuous effort to develop and adapt to ever changing external and internal landscapes, which has led to an eclectic mix of projects.
Some notable and recent projects include: 1) The premiere of two solo-pieces in 2025 – the first titled Death fell in love with me and made me immortal so premiered in Berlin together with pianist Romain C. Bertheau and the second titled Soliloquy on Solitude premiered in Stockholm at the Modern Dance Theatre. 2) The Masked I, acquired into the collection of Röhsska Museet in Gothenburg in 2024, consisting of a sculpture and performance lecture, filmed by Senay Berhe. 3) The short film Black Square written and directed by the aforementioned and produced by Gambio Film and Film I Väst with support from the Swedish Film Institute. The short film premieres at the Uppsala Short Film Festival in 2024. 4)The audio drama Härifrån released on Storytel in 2022, which was directed and produced by Michael S. Bekele and co-created and written with Jason Diakité. Härifrån was awarded with the Golden Ear by the Swedish Radio Academy for best entertainment podcast in 2023.
The studio thrives most under collaborations of all sorts. If you are a past or current comrade, then many thanks. If you are a future one, then welcome! Furthermore, Michael is engaged as the chairperson for Black Archives Sweden in Malmö and the co-founder of the artist run community space Munnen in Stockholm, where he runs the local station Tungan.
Hello my friend, how have you been? Did you cut your hair, is that a new color? Oh, is that so... it's just greying... the hair line receding. I think it suits you well, I really do. And in my life? Someone mistook me for an old lady on the metro. I'm gonna live off of that for a long time to come. There you have it, age is sweet.
This period consists of continued big shifts for me, I think. For the last two to three years I've been developing material and experimenting with it. Now I feel eager to bring these ideas forth and continue to develop them. Be it the performance, the novel or the film. Oh my!
Hm, otherwise? My most recent short film had its premiere at the Uppsala Short Film Festival. And my audio drama was awarded with the Golden Ear for best entertainment podcast by the Swedish Radio Academy. It does feel gratifying to get one's work recognised.
Why do I look so tired? I've performed a lot this year – two new solo-pieces and "The Masked I" I was able to show a few more times as well. Things are really building up a momentum and I'm down for the ride, however exhausting it might be.
A museum in Gothenburg, Röhsska, acquired two of my artworks. It's a sculpture, a mask, fittingly titled "The Masked I" and a video work of an accompanying performance. Both works are shown in the museum's permanent exhibition. In case you ever find yourself in Gothenburg?
Oh, you gotta go? Good luck with your therapy and taxes. Yes, talk soon! Say hi to my future self, won't you?
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