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Participatory art project Berlin · 2026

WEIGHT OF EXISTENCE

What creates your existence?
What gives your life its weight?

01About the project

Your work, thoughts, body, memory—and the objects you choose to carry and live with.

“Weight of Existence” is a participatory art project that redefines human presence through a physical act. Through the intimate process of selection, it explores the origins of your identity and asks what truly shapes who you are today.

Belongings are the key element. We choose, own, and let go of countless objects throughout our lives. These experiences become memories, and those memories shape us.

A wristwatch, a folding knife, a handwritten note and a travel clock on a table
Objects as a record of a lifeStudy · 2026

02The approach

Your body’s weight, told through what you keep.

Participants carefully select personal belongings that exactly match the weight of their own body. If you weigh 75kg, you curate objects until together they equal that exact mass.

If the objects are one kilogram short, something must be added. If they are ten grams heavy, something must be removed. This precise negotiation asks: What do I really need? What is the story of this object and me?

The process becomes a profound mirror of your values, memories, and identity.

45kg of existence — the artist on a scale, and the same weight in personal objects
Berlin, the setting for the next chapter

03Project statement

“I want to connect with people as they truly are—not through titles or status, but through who they are and the history they carry.”

My name is May. I came to Berlin four years ago. For a long time, I felt like nobody in this city—without a clear expertise, strong community, or deep connections.

I realized I had started measuring people by what they had: their title, network, achievements, or follower count. I was measuring myself the same way.

Returning to this project reminded me that selecting personal belongings quietly brings to the surface what a person has truly valued. This project was born from the question I needed most.

04Open call

Looking for collaborators & stories

I want to hear your
story.

This project is not looking for a perfect success story or a dream life. I want to connect with anyone living their own story in this city. All nationalities, ages, and backgrounds are welcome.

LGBTQ+ communities, Berlin’s nightlife and rave culture, and people living through their own distinct identity are warmly invited. If you carry a story that should be heard, I want you to join.

Especially seeking

People who lived in Berlin before and after the Wall—to sit with those memories alongside the objects you still hold today.

05The process

HOW IT
WORKS

  1. 01

    Conversation

    Send me a message with your story, why you are interested in participating, and what brought you to Berlin. Questions are always welcome.

  2. 02

    First meeting

    We meet in person. Before anything else, I want to get to know you. We talk through your memories, the project, and any questions or concerns you may have.

  3. 03

    Session & curation

    After a short interview, you begin selecting meaningful objects one by one. I stay with you as a guide. This is more than selection; it is a quiet conversation between you and your past.

  4. 04

    The photoshoot

    We photograph in the place where you feel most yourself—your home, a café, your workspace, or somewhere else meaningful. We agree on the location in advance.

  5. 05

    Closing interview

    After the session, we sit down one last time. This final conversation becomes part of the project archive.

The session, photoshoot, and closing interview are documented in both photography and video.

06Important notice

Very important notice!

The project involves nude or semi-nude representation of the body.

This is central to the concept of setting. Please check here

Please understand that the project process takes time, come with your honesty, and commitment. If you are too busy, unsure, or simply curious without real intention — this project is probably not for you.

I can’t predict how many people will be interested this. Maybe none, maybe many. It may take me some time to respond. Please bear with me and wait a little longer. But I promise you that I get back to you.

07Apply & contact

Bring one object.
Tell its story.

Upload an image of an object that holds your story *