Zilberman invites Berlin-based, young artists to apply with one work for the Young Fresh Different open call which will lead up to a group exhibition in the gallery space of Zilberman | Berlin in Goethestr. 82.

Belonging plays a vital role in how we understand ourselves and relate to the world; it lays the foundation for connections that are shaped by cultural contexts, shared experiences and diverse identities. As sociologist Stuart Hall states, “identity is always in process”; it is never fixed, but continuously formed and reformed through our interactions, surroundings, and personal journeys. Identity is not merely inherited; it is actively constructed, through the communities we align with and the places we choose to call home. For this reason, Zilberman embraces its role each year as a meeting ground — a space to connect with and support young artists at the outset of their creative journeys.

For the past 14 years, Zilberman has been dedicated to creating a space for young artists within the commercial field it belongs to, building relationships and fostering connections. Beyond the exhibition that it leads to, Young Fresh Different offers mentorship, visibility, and opportunities for artistic growth. This commitment has fostered a dynamic platform for emerging voices; offering them a sense of belonging, a crossroad where ideas, cultural perspectives, and artistic practices converge.

Embarking on its journey in Berlin last year, Zilberman | Berlin became a place for exchange among eleven young artists; each carrying distinct backgrounds, perspectives, and personal narratives, found a space where their experiences could resonate through their artistic practices. Now, as we prepare for the second edition of Young Fresh Different in Berlin, Zilberman continues its mission to create a space where young artists can shape and reshape their sense of belonging, challenge boundaries, and bring their stories to life.

(Text: Ece Ates)

Young Fresh Different is open to visual artists aged 18-35, inviting them to submit a single work, unrestricted in its medium. A jury of art professionals will select the participating artists, including Hajra Haider Karrar, curator at SAVVY Contemporary: The Laboratory of Form-Ideas and the guest curator of Colomboscope 09; Susanne Weiß, curator at ifa - Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen; Itamar Gov, a gallery-represented artist; and two representatives from Zilberman—Nazlı Yayla, Artistic Director of Zilberman | Istanbul, and Gizem Demircelik, Director of Zilberman | Istanbul. The Selected artists will receive an artist fee of 300 Euros, and their works will be exhibited in a group show at Zilberman | Berlin at Goethestraße, where they will also be available for sale.


Who can apply:

Professional artists aged between 18 and 35 who live in Berlin and are not already represented by a gallery.


Works to apply with:

The applicant shall submit a single work to be exhibited. The work must not yet have been presented publicly.


Working materials and support:

Each selected artistic position will be financed with 300 €. This includes the production and transport. Our team also supports the projects with a set-up team, press work and visitor service. This artistic fee is to be paid after the end of the exhibition.


Exhibition space:

Zilberman | Berlin is located at Goethe Strasse 82, 10623 Berlin.


Exhibition period:

17 July - 23 August 2025, opening 16 July 2025

To apply, please submit (in one PDF document, max. 10MB):

- CV, contact information (telephone, e-mail address, address) and artist statement (max. 1000 characters incl. spaces)

- Max. of 3 images of the submitted work (including a detail shot), caption info (name, technique, year, dimension) and description of the work (max. of 1000 characters incl. spaces). Submitted images should be in high quality.

- A portfolio of previous works / projects along with the captions (max. 5 DIN A4 pages)

- Video works should be submitted with a link (to be accessed with a password, via Youtube, Vimeo etc.) mentioned in the caption of the work in the related PDF.

- The deadline for submissions is Friday, 16 May 2025, 23:59. Applications after this date will not be considered.

- Languages: English or German

Incomplete applications cannot be considered.
Enquiries and submission to: yfdberlin@zilbermangallery.com
 

Hajra Haider Karrar

Hajra Haider Karrar is a curator, researcher, and writer invested in articulating questions that destabilize and reconfigure colonial and capital paradigms that lay at the foundations of knowledge production by working through ancestral and affective epistemes. She is Curator at SAVVY Contemporary: The Laboratory of Form-Ideas and the guest curator of Colomboscope 09. 

Susanne Weiß

Susanne Weiß is a museologist, curator, writer and arts educator living in Berlin. Her work cultivates polyphonies and shows art at the intersections of its contexts. She has curated the ifa’s touring exhibition The Event of aThread – Global Narratives in Textiles since 2015 and co-directed the ifa Gallery Berlin from 2021 to 2022, where she currently holds the position of collection curator. She has been learning and working since 1996 in various contexts and places like London, Oxford, Jerusalem, Wien, Dresden, Sharjah, Heidelberg, Istandbul, Halle and Berlin.

Itamar Gov

Itamar Gov is an artist whose diverse practice spans site-specific installations, sculptures, paintings, photographic series, and videos. His work delves into the interplay between history, ideology, and aesthetics, examining how personal, collective, and institutional memories are constructed and preserved. His projects function as inquiries into the cultural fabric that defines our shared and fragmented histories.

Gizem Demirçelik

Gizem Demircelik is a professional with a background in logistics and operations management, currently serving as the gallery director at Zilberman in Istanbul. With over six years of experience at Zilberman as Global Operations Manager, and the last three years as the Gallery Director (Istanbul) she has played a pivotal role in the gallery's success, overseeing the gallery's yearly programming, operations, and contributing to Zilberman's international visibility. Holding a B.A. in International Logistics and Transportation from Yeditepe University, she brings a unique perspective to all the activities of the gallery, contributing to the cultural landscape with her innovative approach.

Nazlı Yayla

Nazlı Yayla is the Artistic Director of Zilberman Istanbul. She also initiated and directed Platform 82 in Berlin. From 2018 to 2022, she served as Grants and Projects Coordinator at the SAHA Association, focusing on cultural funding and project development. Her previous experience includes roles at institutions such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Rezan Has Museum; and Art On Istanbul. She has contributed to Art Unlimited magazine. Nazlı holds a double major in Art History and Sociology from Boston University and a master’s degree in Political Science from Sabancı University.