Dolores Flores is a sculptor and musician she created „the beer people“, coincidentally many years ago in an old Berliner beer bar, after a band rehearsal. The inspiration came from the tissue paper ring that is attached to the bottom of a fresh taped beer glass to absorb the foam drippings, a German tradition named „tropfenfänger“. While fumbling around with this tissue paper ring, the „beer people“ came to life. What started off playfully has now evolved into a complete artistic concept. Each figure is an original, folded and torn into form made out of one single tissue paper ring. On each figure nothing is added just the excessive paper is torn away, then the figures are attached to a tooth pick, for stability. All of these small figures, female or male, have their own expression and character with diverse poses and movements. They are full of individuality, though each one is made out of the exact same material, the tissue paper „tropfen fänger“. Until now over 6500 figures have been produced for these works : multimedia installations, luminescent object boxes, post cards and video works. Here the „beer people“, are set up in diverse constellations, and a new generation is created for every new exhibition. The theme is observation, of our society in our time with the problems of globalization, rising population, mass consumption, medial overflow and social and ecological discrepancies.

Exhibition:

03.07. - 22.08. 2026
Optimism - Flashback von Dolores Flores
(Luminescent Objects - Paper Objects - Digital  Photography)

Dolores Flores presents a variety of works in the exhibition "Optimism - Flashback" with the paper figures "the beer people", in the a.i.p. galerie and project space.

Dolores Flores is an interdisciplinary artist, poet and musician of Mexican American / German descent.
Born in Berlin 1964, raised in Northern California, U.S.A.
Since 1983 living and working in Berlin and Lower Saxony, Germany.

The work of this interdisciplinary artist encompasses audiovisual spatial installations, sculptures, light objects, and video works, as well as vocal performances and the music project "The Unfamiliarnaires."
Her works are held in various private collections around the world and have been exhibited in galleries, museums, institutions, and project spaces.

Regardless of the chosen medium, aesthetics and a contemplative quality are central to her work. The narrative and contemplative aspect is a central theme for her, with a focus on observing society and its evolution in our time. With an emphasis on an optimistic perspective, individuality and development within the personal sphere are additional key themes.

The story behind the creation of the paper figures “The beer people” from Dolores Flores.

Dolores Flores, a sculptor who has been creating her works in wood since 1986, created these figures by chance in an old Berlin beer bar in the late 90s after a band rehearsal. The inspiration came from a tissue paper ring—the drop catcher that is attached to the bottom of a freshly tapped beer glass to absorb the foam drippings, called a "Tropfenfänger," a German tradition in beer culture. As a sculptor, she found this fragile material very interesting, and while playing around with this tissue paper ring at that moment, the "beer people" came to life. Their name originates from the material and the origin where they were created. What started by chance has now evolved into a complete artistic concept.

Each figure is an original, folded and torn, where the excess paper is removed and then folded into form. These figures are created out of one single tissue paper ring; there are no additional components other than the toothpick attached to the backside for stability. These figures are not a copy of origami; they are an authentic creation by Dolores.

All of these small figures, female or male, have their own expressions, poses, movements, and characters. These figures are full of individuality, though made out of the exact same valueless material. Over 8,500 figures have been produced, and for every exhibition, a new generation is created for diverse works, such as multimedia installations, luminescent object boxes, photographs, and video works. Dolores Flores integrates lyrics from her songs, which are translated into binary number code, symbolizing our computerized and digitalized era.

The “beer people“ figures represent a hopeful, confident, and idealistic society believing in gender equality and individuality, searching for new solutions and perspectives, and promoting freedom of thought and action. They question society’s value system, invoking contemplative thoughts and ideas as a chance for a process of regeneration in a complicated world. The unfolded tissue paper rings represent the masses that are thoughtlessly waiting, just existing as piled material in orderly rows.

With this contemplative concept, these paper figures function as a playful expedient supporting the narrative aspect of observation, society, and creative expression.

Der erzählerische und kontemplative Aspekt ist für sie ein zentrales Thema, wobei der Fokus auf der Betrachtung der Gesellschaft und ihrer Entwicklung in unserer Zeit liegt. Individualität und Entwicklung im persönlichen Raum sind weitere zentrale Themen.

a.i.p. galerie – project space | artists in progress

Suarezstr. 8 - 14057 Berlin-Charlottenburg - 030 89 00 59 73 - Opening hours: Thurs. + Fri.: 3 - 7 p.m.; Sat: 11 am - 3 pm and by appointment