Cornelia Schleime (*1953) is the grande dame of German painting. Her fictional portraits convey self-confidence and strength. They celebrate the uniqueness, dignity, and sovereignty of the individual. The fact that these figures resist heteronomy, egalitarianism, and oppression can be traced back to her autobiography. In the GDR, the artist was spied upon and harassed. The authorities tried to silence and dishearten Schleime—but she pursued her quest without fear, offering artistic resistance. In photographs and films, she demonstrated what the regime was putting her through, depicting herself bound and gagged. Never as the victim, however. She is always the steadfast rebel—or to borrow the title of one of her works: »I’m not going to just hold my breath!«

For the very first time, this book presents the artist’s performed photographs and Super 8 films, which she created in the GDR in protest against the SED regime, offering a completely new reading of Schleime’s work, which is not only of art-historical but also of political significance.