Polina Osipova's 'Cosmologies at Play' Explores Chuvash Identity at Neun Kelche Berlin
Polina Osipova's inaugural solo exhibition in Germany, titled 'Cosmologies at Play,' will be held at Neun Kelche in Berlin from September 19 to October 25, 2026. Curated by Kira Dell and Laura Seidel, the exhibition delves into playgrounds inspired by cosmic themes, reflecting Osipova's post-Soviet childhood. The Chuvash artist showcases her most extensive installations to date, featuring four new sculptural pieces: 'Sliding towards the Ancient' (2026), 'Universe Model Machine' (2026), 'Star Archaeology' (2025), and 'A Device for Flying to the Ancestral Stars' (2026). The exhibition critiques how the Russian state has appropriated Chuvash cosmology, juxtaposing it with Soviet perspectives on space. Osipova has been exhibiting internationally since she was 22 and has been active online since around 12 or 13.
Key facts
- Polina Osipova's 'Cosmologies at Play' is her first solo exhibition in Germany and second show in Berlin.
- The exhibition runs from September 19 to October 25, 2026, at Neun Kelche in Berlin.
- It was researched alongside curators Kira Dell and Laura Seidel.
- The show includes four new sculptural pieces: 'Sliding towards the Ancient' (2026), 'Universe Model Machine' (2026), 'Star Archaeology' (2025), and 'A Device for Flying to the Ancestral Stars' (2026).
- Osipova is Chuvash, an ethnic minority from the Volga federal district in Russia.
- Chuvash people were banned from working with metal from the mid-16th to the 19th century.
- 'Universe Model Machine' is a functional steel seesaw and the only piece made entirely of steel.
- 'Ancestral Star Capsule' (2026) resembles Sputnik 2 and references Laika, the first living creature sent to space by the Soviet state.
Entities
Artists
- Polina Osipova
- Kira Dell
- Laura Seidel
- Em Mai Chmiel
- Dorothea-Dittrich
Institutions
- Neun Kelche
- VG-Bildkunst
Locations
- Berlin
- Germany
- Weißensee
- Pasedagplatz
- Chuvashia
- Russia
- Volga federal district
- St. Petersburg