The Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt is honouring Filipino-Canadian artist and filmmaker Stephanie Comilang with a major solo exhibition. Entitled Coordinates at Dawn, her latest film works will be presented in Germany for the first time from 25 September 2025 to 4 January 2026. The occasion is also the Philippines' appearance as guest country at the Frankfurt Book Fair. The show brings together two of Comilang's central works: the new diptych "Search for Life" (2024/25) and the film "Diaspora Ad Astra" (2020), which can be understood as a prologue. The films are embedded in expansive installations that incorporate textile works and sculptural elements. Themes from migration to identity Comilang's artistic signature oscillates between documentary research and poetic narrative. Her films revolve around questions of labour migration, diaspora and belonging, the relationship between humans and nature, and the intertwining of economics, technology and postcolonial history. The ocean, as a defining element of Philippine culture, is a recurring point of reference.
The artist combines documentary material with fictional elements, personal narratives and mythical overlays. She deliberately uses different technical formats – from elaborate high-end productions to drone footage, smartphone videos and livestreams. Comilang herself describes her hybrid form as "science fiction documentaries".
Voices from the Schirn
The director of the Schirn, Sebastian Baden, calls Comilang "an impressive voice in international video art." Her works reflect "global realities, loneliness and relationships, migration, diaspora and resilience." Curator Martina Weinhart emphasises that dialogue with the protagonists forms the starting point for each work. The personal stories develop into a multi-layered narrative that defies classic documentary forms and opens up poetic and magical dimensions.
The exhibition is sponsored by the "Schirn Friends," supported by fibre to the people GmbH.
