Bio

Performance artist, visual artist and experimental filmmaker

Simon(e) Jaikiriuma Paetau is a German-Colombian interdisciplinary artist whose work spans across cinema, videoart, installations, and performance, with a focus on queer decoloniality. In recent years, Simon(e) has focused on inventing myths and utopias inspired by rural and urban cultures in Colombia that move away from hegemonic discourses; creating interdisciplinary art works and collaborations with racialized artists and communities that have been historically made invisible, especially Emberá & Wayúu, sexual dissident non-binary bodies (including themselves) and rebellious LatinX trans women.

Simon(e) completed their studies in Media Art at KHM Cologne and Film at EICTV Cuba. Simon(e) has achieved significant recognition for their films, which have premiered at prestigious Festivals such as Cannes Directors Fortnight, BFI London, New York Film Festival, documenta14, New Directors/New Films MoMa, and Rotterdam. Their films have received accolades including the Emerging Talent Award at kurzfilmtage Oberhausen 2022, the Best Director Award at the Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival Colombia 2018, and a nomination for the Queer Palm in Cannes 2022. 

Simon(e) has premiered their performances and installations at renowned venues such as Gropius Bau, Wexner Center of the Arts, HKW, Monitoring Kasseler Dokfest, Ballhaus Naunynstrasse, Cinemateca de Bogotá, and the 11th Berlin Biennale. Notably, they recently held their first Solo Exhibition at Berlinische Galerie - Museum of Modern Art. Since 2022, Simon(e) is co-founder and artistic director of the transnational German-Colombian based Association Atelier Lapaetau and is currently living between Berlin and Bogotá.

Foto: Nadia Granados