Internship as an artist assistant

**nternship — Artist Assistant (Studio Apelbaum, Berlin)**

**Introduction**

Studio Apelbaum (in collaboration with Analogdream e.V.), based between **Berlin Prenzlauer Berg and Lichtenberg**, and led by Jonathan Apelbaum, explores gender, sexuality, and intimacy through oil painting expanded into immersive, interactive environments.

The studio develops _cognitive painting_ — oil paintings that respond dynamically to light, movement, and sound through custom-built LED systems and software. These works merge traditional painting with electronics, AI-based interaction, performance, and sound design.

Working across disciplines, the studio brings together painters, engineers, performers, and coders to create large-scale installations, exhibitions, and performances. It functions as both a production space and a collaborative platform for experimentation and exchange.

**Main Focus of the Internship**

The internship is centered on the production of cognitive paintings and the preparation of the exhibition:

**I Want You to Love Me More**

_Berlin Art Week 2026_

• Preview Dinner (invited guests): September 8, 2026
• Public Opening: September 9, 2026
• Exhibition: September 9–13, 2026

The **core of this internship is hands-on technical production**.

You will spend a significant part of your time working directly on the construction of the artworks:

• Soldering LEDs
• Assembling LED panels
• Wiring and testing electronic systems
• Integrating light systems into the paintings
• Assembling and testing the cognitive paintings as complete systems

This work is **precise, repetitive, and detail-oriented**, requiring patience, focus, and care.

**Artist Coordination & Exhibition Production**

In addition to the technical work, you will take an active role in coordinating the exhibition.

For this show, we are bringing together **around ten invited visual artists** alongside the studio’s work. This requires continuous communication and organization.

You will be involved in:

• Communicating directly with participating artists
• Coordinating artwork deliveries and pickups
• Ensuring artworks arrive on time and at the correct location
• Tracking where each artwork is at all times
• Assisting with installation and placement of works in the space
• Maintaining ongoing dialogue with artists before and during the exhibition

This role requires **organization, clarity, and responsibility**, as you will help ensure the exhibition runs smoothly across multiple contributors.

**After Production**

Following the production phase, you will also:

• Assist with exhibition installation and setup
• Support logistics (packing, transport, coordination)
• Be present during the final realization of the show

At the center of the exhibition is a monumental triptych (6.60 meters wide), composed of layered oil paintings that reveal hidden portraits through light and movement. The works are accompanied by an immersive sound installation, forming a responsive environment where painting, technology, and human presence interact.

This exhibition will be the central working project of the internship.

## Tasks

**Tasks**

• Build and assemble cognitive paintings and LED systems (wood, metal, electronics)
• Assist in the development and realization of exhibitions and commissions
• Support research and prototyping of new works
• Organize exhibition logistics (packing, transport, installation)
• Manage shipping lists, cost estimates, and customs documentation
• Communicate with galleries, institutions, and collaborators
• Contribute to catalogues and presentation materials
• Assist in managing multiple ongoing projects
• Occasionally travel as a courier for exhibitions

## Requirements

• Strong hands-on mindset and practical skills
• Ability to work independently and take initiative
• Interest in contemporary art, installation, or performance
• Curiosity for interdisciplinary work (art, technology, production)
• Reliability, flexibility, and organizational awareness

## Benefits

Experience working with **wood, metal, painting, and electronics**Insight into producing large-scale contemporary art exhibitionsDirect involvement in an interdisciplinary artistic practiceAccess to a network of artists, curators, and collaboratorsA dynamic and social studio environment (shared meals, events, performances)

**Conditions**

• Duration: 6 months
• Format: Part-time
• Compensation: Unpaid

This structure allows time for parallel work while offering meaningful responsibility and involvement.

We are also interested in **long-term collaborations** beyond the internship.

Please send:

• A MOTIVATIO N LETTER (MOST IMPORTANT)
• Your CV and/or portfolio (if available)