In projections, Rafael Moreno conceives the city as a mega body – a system in constant operation that promises proximity while simultaneously producing distance. Urban space appears as a computer driven by desire, repetition and excess, where skyscrapers with their reflective architecture create environments of visibility and exclusion. At the center of this system are female figures who, in reference to Ingmar Bergman’s Persona (1966), disturbingly mirror and permeate each other. Found and collaged objects refer to mythically charged narratives of urban life. They function as carriers and filters: handbags, computer shells and images of promising skylines absorb information, deform it, and accumulate pressure. Between hard surfaces and soft interruptions, the city reveals its libido – not as spectacle, but as a persistent tension between exposure and withdrawal.
This exhibition is part of the Kunstverein's new Project Space-in-Residence programme. In 2026, the Hamburg-based project space chess club, initiated by Amanda Weimer, will be the guest. The exhibition projections marks the start of this residency.
