Merlin Rainer was born in Potsdam in 2000. As an artist and filmmaker, he works with drawings and digital animation. His artistic focus lies on the East German hardtekk scene. Whilst this scene offers a space of freedom for young people, it is also gaining a following in far-right circles.
For his diploma film Up-Tempo Politics (2026), currently on view in the exhibition It’s not about nothing, Rainer conducted interviews with young people who see themselves as part of this music scene. They talk about their experiences at parties, their political views and what it means to them to be East German. In conversation with Franciska Zólyom, co-curator of the exhibition, Rainer presents his work.
After the talk there will be a short hardtekk live set by producer geschmackslos who produced the music to Rainers film. The talk and the set take place in the black box, located at GfZK’s Neubau.