I Am A Drinnie

An unusual start of the Art year was the German-Danish Spring Exhibition, organized by the association KUNST FÜR ANGELN

With a strong German-Danish collaboration, the non-profit association KUNST FÜR ANGELN opened the 2026 art year

The major spring exhibition “I Am a Drinnie” (Drinnie is a nickname for an indoor person) transformed the Wittkielhof near Kappeln into a meeting place for contemporary art, cultural exchange, and new perspectives in the border region between Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark throughout April and May 2026.

Art Connects – Across Borders
Since its founding in 2022, KUNST FÜR ANGELN has pursued the goal of sustainably enriching the northernmost region of Schleswig-Holstein with contemporary art and intensifying creative exchange with Danish artists. The geographical proximity to the German-Danish border is deliberately understood as a cultural opportunity: art becomes a unifying element across languages, generations, and artistic positions.

In 2026, this collaboration has been be further deepened. In close cooperation with the Sønderjyllands Art School and under the curatorship of Danish artist and art educator Thomas Lunau, the association presented an exhibition that naturally brings together German and Danish perspectives.

Social Media is OUT!

In a world where digital technologies permeate and dominate our everyday lives, a quiet but ever-increasing counter movement is growing – across all generations: more and more people are consciously choosing a life with less screen time and more depth, more analog experience. What may initially seem like nostalgia is in truth an expression of social change

What is often misunderstood as introverted is more the longing for a slower life, for slowing down, perceived as a return to what really matters: real encounters, creative activities, sustainability, mindfulness, authenticity, physical presence. Today’s „Drinnie“ is looking for real social contacts – with „real“ people! More and more experts are realizing: social media is at an end, real people are withdrawing from digital synthetic worlds into analog!

Part of the exhibition „I am a Drinnie“ was a reading space and a literature selection.

Over 100 artworks form a diverse panorama: works by around 20 Danish artists, pieces from the private Roosen-Trinks collection, loaned works, and—presented publicly for the first time—works by students of the Sønderjyllands Art School. The exhibition was complemented by rotating presentations in Angeln and Sønderb- org, as well as workshops for children led by Danish artists.

Voices on the Exhibition
Ingrid Roosen-Trinks, board member of KUNST FÜR ANGELN, emphasized:
“Our exhibition theme ‘I Am a Drinnie’ carries a wealth of associations and interpretations. The works by the young students from Sønderborg fit the theme perfectly and enrich the exhibition tremendously. It is particularly valuable that these young talents are personal- ly present, allowing for direct dialogue with the audience.”

Curator Thomas Lunau added:
“The title ‘I Am a Drinnie’ opens up so many possibilities for interpretation. The younger generation in particular feels addressed by the term and finds its very own artistic definition of it.”

The exhibition was open from April 19 till May 17, 2026.

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“I am a DRINNIE” – When life can be analog too

A visitor report by Doris Ambrosius
A house within a house—I can see the entrance from afar. Above it towers the word “Hope.” Inside, bright colors and unusual objects beckon, sparking my curiosity and drawing me in. A variety of furniture invites me to sit down and take in every detail of the room at leisure. First, a deep breath—and relax.

I have to laugh when I see the “Socks” by Frederick Albrecht standing on the floor; it almost feels like home… I think. I feel proud, because with some of the artworks I immediately recognize the signature style of their creators. They come from the region and from Denmark. Many works were created במיוחד for this exhibition.

I’d love to try on the poncho hanging on the wall, but first I move from picture to picture, artwork to artwork, each time wondering what connection I have to it. Deep inside, each piece speaks to me in its own way and brings back memories.

On the tables lie books related to the theme: “Slow,” “Quiet People, Strong Impact,” “Feeling Oneself,” “From Performing to Living,” “Say Nothing, Hear Nothing, See Nothing,” as well as “Doing Nothing,” “Mentalities,” and many more *. I feel tempted to lie down on the sofa and actually read. “Yes, that’s exactly what the space is meant for,” explains chairwoman and art collector Ingrid Roosen-Trinks. “Here, you’re allowed to pause,” she adds, “and turn your back on everyday digital life for a moment.” Ingrid Roosen-Trinks, founder of Kunst Für Angeln e.V., organizes extraordinary exhibitions every year—ones that move people, visitors and artists alike.

The idea for the title comes from a podcast created during the COVID period, when people were only allowed to be outside alone. “And somehow these completely crazy times never really ended,” she says, alluding to wars and unpredictable presidents. “On top of that, you no longer even know what is real.” She is referring to times in which more and more AI appears on the internet, creating a certain sameness everywhere. “And then there’s so much advertising popping up that you feel like you’re hacking through a jungle with a machete, trying to close all the little boxes just to finally read what you originally wanted.”

Of course, the world outside still exists—but even there, anyone can be a “Drinnie.” The exhibition shows this through landscape works outside the house, as well as sculptures that could stand in a park, and the Sønderborg corridor: here, professors and students face each other with their works.

This exhibition will be something different for everyone, but one thing unites it for all: we are allowed to pause and visit our “inner self.” It is truly worth taking the time to let it resonate, rather than just passing by and taking a quick look.

* All book are available in german at: WWW.FELIXJUD.COM

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MAKING OF “I am a DRINNIE”

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List of artists (April 19 – May 17, 2026):