Werner Nekes, born on April 29 1944 in Erfurt, primary school and high school in Oberhausen and Mülheim/Ruhr. First literary attempts.
1963 studies in linguistics and psychology in Freiburg.
From 1964 onwards in Bonn. Head of the University Film Club, later also chairman of the FIAG. Friendships with film directors, sculptors and painters. These included Dore 0., his companion and collaborator since 1967.
1965 paintings made of diverse materials and objects. Various exhibitions. First 8 mm film, from Mai 1966 onwards on 16 mm.
In spring 1967 his films are rejected by the Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen. Nekes organizes a counter-event. Film seminars at the Institut für Jugendbildung in Dörnberg/Kassel.
In November 1967 Nekes comes to Hamburg with Dore 0., whom he marries the following month. Co-founder of the Filmemacher-Cooperative and of the Hamburger Filmschau. Film events in his apartment, Brüderstraße 5. Film seminars and retrospectives in various European cities.
1969 regular film showings and discussions with film directors in the "Prokinoff", Hamburg.
1970-1972 professorship at the Hochschule für bildende Künste in Hamburg.
1973 sojourn in Sweden, Travels, seminars on film and on film-theory, retrospectives all over the world. He moves to Mülheim/Ruhr in summer 1978.
1981 guest professorship at the university of Wuppertal.
1982-84 professorship at the Kunsthochschule Offenbach.
1988 chart member of ICNC (International Center for New Cinema) in Riga.
1990/96 professorship at the Kunsthochschule für Medien, Köln.
2004/2006 professorship at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste Hamburg
1981-91 Idea, conception und realisation of the Camera Obscura in Mülheim/Ruhr.
1992 Conzeption und realisation of the exhibition "Von der Camera Obscura zum Film" in Mülheim
1993 Exhibition "SCHATTEN-PROJEKTIONEN", Städtische Galerie Schloß Oberhausen. Festival administration of "Internationales Schattentheaterfest Oberhausen 1993"
1994-2008 Exhibitions of the Media Magica - collection u.a. "Imagination" und "3D-Beyond the Stereography" beide: Metropolitan Museum Tokyo; "Perspektiva" Muscarnok, Budapest; "Das verführte Auge", Focke Museum Bremen; "Devices of Wonder" Getty, Los Angeles; "Ich sehe was, was Du nicht siehst. Sehmaschinen und Bilderwelten" Museum Ludwig Köln; "Die Wunderkammer des Sehens" Graz; "Eyes, Lies and Illusions", Hayward Gallery London; "Lust und List im AugenBlick" Barockmuseum Salzburg, Sorö: „Skyggen. The Shadow“, Altonaer Museum Hamburg; "Schaulust", „Rare Künste“, Wien; „Lumière, transparence, opacité“, Nouveau Musée National, Monaco; "Eyes, Lies and Illusions" ACMI, Melbourne; "Schaulust Die Kunst des Sehens und des Täuschens", Krems
Awards
1968 Sao Paolo: international awards for put-putt.
1969 Bambi award for complete oeuvre.
1970 Deutscher Filmpreis: Filmband in Silber for jüm-jüm with Dore 0..
1972 Mannheim: special award for T-WO-MEN.
1975 Montreal: Diplom d'Excellence.
1975 Deutscher Filmpreis: Filmband in Silber for Hynningen (from Diwan).
1975 Preis für Kunst und Wissenschaft der Stadt Mülheim with Dore 0..
1981 Preis der deutschen Filmkritik for Beuys with Dore O..
1982 Mannheim: Filmdukaten Uliisses.
1982 London: Film of the Year Uliisses.
1983 Figueira da Foz: Placa prata for Uliisses.
1984 Deutscher Kritikerpreis for Uliisses.
1986 Ann Arbor Festival: Award for Uliisses.
1986 Awards for Was geschah wirklich zwischen den Bildern? (Film Before Film): Figueira da Foz: Special Award of the International Jury, Gold medal of the CIDALC-Jury, Award of FICC-Jury. Chicago, USA: Gold Plaque for the best documentary. Spain: Mikeldi for the best documentary.