As if this year wasn’t already like a Kubrick film, mysterious monoliths like the one in 2001: Space Odyssey started appearing around the world. And I bet you didn’t know that Berlin had its own.
The first monolith, found in Utah’s Red Rock Country by some biologists surveying bighorn sheep from a helicopter, was placed there sometime in 2016.
We got an inside look at the atelier of artists Johanna Dumet and Manuel Wroblewski in anticipation of the upcoming Berlin Art Week—for which Johanna and Manuel are opening their studio to the public. Johanna skips down the steps of a giant cascading staircase held up by strong Greco-Roman-style columns when she greets me. The smell of oil paint fills the room, and Johanna’s shorts are spattered with vibrant specks of pigment.
When you step inside the Villa Heike, you leave Berlin behind and enter an ornate, yet industrial, version of ancient times. The tall ceiling and decorative columns are what you’d see in an old museum, but the art is refreshingly contemporary, standing out against the barren architecture. After climbing a few flights of stairs, we enter Johanna and Manuel’s atelier. I’m struck immediately by the light—on the top floor of the Villa Heike, their space is illuminated by huge windows facing southwest.
photo: Ralph Larmann.
In February 2016 the impressive Kraftwerk Berlin showed a laser and sound installation by Christopher Bauder and Robert Henke called Deep Web as part of the CTM Festival. It is a moving, luminous architectural structure that weaves 175 motorized spheres and 12 high power laser systems into a 25 meter wide and 10-meter high sculpture of light and sound. It was a really immersive experience to see it.
This summer the show is back at Kraftwerk from July 12 until August 23, 2019, with special live performances on July 25 and 26, as well as August 8 and 9 that you shouldn’t miss. We have a little video from the first round to give you an impression.
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One of the things that everyone tells me when I ask them what they think is special about Berlin is the sense of freedom here. Having lived here for such a long time I often tend to take it for granted, not realizing how it’s actually quite special to be able to wear whatever you like, love whoever you want, work in whichever job you want to – and generally be free in many more ways. But the moment I hear from people from other cities or countries, or when I personally set foot in them, I remember how privileged we are in Berlin.
To celebrate this freedom the city has set itself its own freedom monument in the shape of an installation in front of Hauptbahnhof. Designed by the prestigious architecture office GRAFT the monument reads out #FreiheitBerlin (freedom Berlin) which also functions as a social media hashtag so people can share their own thoughts about the freedom in Berlin on various social media platforms. So far over 9000 people have already shared the hashtag.
We’ve already teased this upcoming exciting exhibition by Australian artist Joseph Marr in our feature about the creation process of his amazing work. But now it’s time to take a closer look at his new solo show Satisfaction that will open at the Michael Reid Gallery tomorrow evening. Those of you who have seen his work in other shows or under the bar counter of the Berghain bar know that his objects are quite stunning to look at. Translucent naked bodies of men or women in bright colors, often sexy or even explicitly sexual as in the famous piece Together that will be shown at the gallery for the first time outside of Berghain. The special thing about Joseph’s objects is that they are molded entirely out of sugar. His material has great symbolic meaning: The sweetness of it is what we are craving for, almost addicted to. We want so much of it until we are stuck on it with our fingers and get sick of it. But the addiction is not over, as the craving for it will kick in later again. It’s the predicament of getting satisfaction out of something that is not good for us.
Don’t miss the opening Thursday night at Michael Reid. The exhibition will run from April 7 until beginning of May with a finissage during the Gallery Weekend on May 3, 2015. Some impressions after the jump.
With longer daylight hours comes more time for nice walks in town. Most of the people living in Berlin have probably already taken plenty of walks through Mitte, visited the Museum Island or strolled through Mauerpark. But just a few have ventured out to Treptower Park to discover this impressive historical gem from the former GDR: The Soviet Monument of Honor. This monument was built in 1949 and is one out of three monuments built to remember the fallen soldiers from the red army.
What makes this monument so impressive is not only the giant statue of the child-saving soldier with the massive sword resembling more a knight from a fairy tale than of a Sowjet soldier. The gates to the monument are crystal-shaped pyramides that look like they were constructed for a space station from an alien nation. I guess the fascination for space and the idea of a Soviet world imperium already existed back then, continuing in the Cold War in the following decades.
I recommend to visit this place inside Treptower Park on a cloud free day to enjoy the view. The whole area and especially the soldier statues can give you goosebumps. I think getting in touch with this part of Berlin’s history is a stimulating experience not to be missed. More pictures after the jump.
photos: Ulf Saupe
While the Panorama Bar always had a quite glorious club decoration in the form of a permanent exhibition by Wolfgang Tillmans, the Berghain area in the middle floor always had to live without any art. Just about two weeks ago this finally changed when the Berghain revealed a new permanent exhibition by Australian-Maori artist Joseph Marr in the bar area to the left side of the club. Under the glass of the bar counter you will now find a 9 meter long sculpture made of sugar. The glowing amber piece depicts a chain of bodies intertwinded with each other in sexual poses giving the title Together a lot of sense. Get a preview of the amazing artwork after the jump and check it out live on your next Berghain Sunday.
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If I ever had to move into another place than Berlin I would want it to be a phantasy world thought up by Ben & Julia. The kooky Berlin-based artist duo opened their exhibition The 2nd Live of Kaluk: Hypothesis at Voo Store on Friday and welcomed everyone into their imaginary land of the five-eared dog king. I loved Ben & Julia ever since I discovered their web video Kak & Kook in the Vallery of the farting Hens (yes) and now that I’ve met them in person I love them even more! Enjoy my favorite video and some impressions of their exhibition that will be on display at Voo until November 3rd 2012 after the jump.
Later tonight the two artists will also be doing their magic on your nails at the Fingerbang pop-up nail salon.
Samuel Salcedo
Last night the Preview Berlin art fair opened their doors at hangar 2 of the former Tempelhof Airport. The Preview is one of the four big art fairs happening at the newly formed Berlin Art Week. Galleries from all over the world, including Australia, Germany, France, Japan, Columbia, Mexico, Holland, Poland, Switzerland, Romania, Spain and Turkey, exhibit the work of their artist here. Just like last year I discovered once more my love for sculptures. Have a look at my impressions of the opening and go to the fair that is open until Sunday.
I almost missed the new exhibition Fragility at Strychnin gallery that opened last week. But the sugarhigh newsletter kindly reminded me of it. The exhibition showcases the incredible porcelaine dolls by Marina Bychkova. More of them and details after the jump.