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Love to Order?
Love to Order?
April 27, 2023
Sina Niemeyer, from the series ‘The Many Wives of Mr. L.’
On Thursday, April 27, the exhibition ‘The Many Wives of Mr. L’ opens at Hamburg’s Freelens Gallery with an evening reception, starting at 7 pm. Photographer Sina Niemyer will be in attendance. The showcase will subsequently be on view until July 23, 2023.
‘The Many Wives of Mr. L.’ was created after Sina Niemeyer found a box containing hundreds of letters from the 1980s, written by Filipino women looking to get married. All were addressed to the same recipient in (then) West Berlin. To learn the stories behind these mysterious pieces of correspondence, Niemeyer embarked on a journey to the Philippines in search of their authors.
She not only managed to track down and photograph several of the women, but also delved deep into the centuries-old business of cross-border matchmaking which, though highly stigmatised, still exists in our modern age – particularly in the form of so-called singles tours for men from the US, who are able to pre-select women from a database.
Niemeyer’s project oscillates between the unsparing examination of neocolonialist structures, sexism and the objectification of women on the one hand, and the deeply human need for love and connection on the other – whilst at the same time questioning the romanticised idea of marriage. With great skill, the artist interlinks a supposedly bygone past with present-day realities, and shines a light on the many different motives of the men and women involved.
Sina Niemeyer lives and works in Berlin. In 2018, she was declared one of Germany’s most promising newcomer photographers. Since then, her work has been presented in numerous international exhibitions and recognised with multiple awards.
‘The Many Wives of Mr. L.’ was created after Sina Niemeyer found a box containing hundreds of letters from the 1980s, written by Filipino women looking to get married. All were addressed to the same recipient in (then) West Berlin. To learn the stories behind these mysterious pieces of correspondence, Niemeyer embarked on a journey to the Philippines in search of their authors.
She not only managed to track down and photograph several of the women, but also delved deep into the centuries-old business of cross-border matchmaking which, though highly stigmatised, still exists in our modern age – particularly in the form of so-called singles tours for men from the US, who are able to pre-select women from a database.
Niemeyer’s project oscillates between the unsparing examination of neocolonialist structures, sexism and the objectification of women on the one hand, and the deeply human need for love and connection on the other – whilst at the same time questioning the romanticised idea of marriage. With great skill, the artist interlinks a supposedly bygone past with present-day realities, and shines a light on the many different motives of the men and women involved.
Sina Niemeyer lives and works in Berlin. In 2018, she was declared one of Germany’s most promising newcomer photographers. Since then, her work has been presented in numerous international exhibitions and recognised with multiple awards.
Sina Niemeyer, from the series ‘The Many Wives of Mr. L.’
Sina Niemeyer, from the series ‘The Many Wives of Mr. L.’
Sina Niemeyer, from the series ‘The Many Wives of Mr. L.’
Sina Niemeyer, from the series ‘The Many Wives of Mr. L.’
Sina Niemeyer, from the series ‘The Many Wives of Mr. L.’