Berlin Biennale 2016, photo: Timo Ohler *
This summer seems to be the perfect time to discover new art and cultural exhibitions in Berlin. It’s not Gallery Weekend, it’s not Art Week either, yet there are still so many interesting exhibitions going on worth checking out. Of course the biggest one of all of them is the current edition of the Berlin Biennale that takes place at multiple venues all over central Berlin. This year’s concept of the acclaimed exhibition is quite controversial, the more reason for us to go and check it out! But we also have a brand new private art collection in town that follows in the footsteps of the me Collectors Room and the Collection Boros at the former Bunker. This one found a new home in the former Konzulat, a place that will be dearly missed but is now filled with new life. For a less high-concept, more down-to-earth kind of exhibition we recommend the #LiveThere Haus, an exhibition by visual artist collective 44flavours from Berlin who took over the Hallesches Haus for a few days next week. This and much more in our new Berlin exhibition highlights guide for the summer of 2016. Enjoy!
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by Frank | Art
“Vertreibung” by Michi Schneider
Art universities are a places of deep mystery for me. I often hear stories and anecdotes from several friends who studied in such places but I never got a clue on how these places really work. I guess it is somehow also intended to be like this. Imagine if the process of creating and teaching art would become transparent to everybody, it would loose definitely a lot of its magic.
Anyway, I try every year to visit the art universities graduation shows, not only because I love to scout for fresh new talents but also because I love to challenge my brain with the following problem: How can you give an artwork a grade and even a degree? Especially with very abstract artworks it is a challenge to imagine that somebody (I always imagine an art professor looking like Dumbledore with a white shirt full of color sprinkles) has given this a grade.
If you want to challenge yourself with the same question I invite you to visit the exhibition cool runnings by the graduates of Weißensee until the 30th of July. Some of the presented sculptures and paintings are really impressive. My favorites in the sculpture department was a flying boat called Syrenale made out of wood and neon lights by Anselm Schenkluhn. The illustration by Markus Scheunemann was also very intriguing – it was called Alice, tell me your wonderland and portrayed a very sexual interpretation of the story with a lot of pornographic Berlin scenery.
Call me shallow but my favorite painting was the one by Michi Schneider called Vertreibung showing Beyoncé as the Holy Mary next to a black kid being on the run. It hits the nerve on the recent refugee situation where our so-called Christian country is totally out of line in all political decisions right now. Enjoy some impressions of the exhibition after the jump and try to go there if you can. Read on…
by Claudio | Art
After all the different fashion graduates shows of last week we are now moving onward to the work of the art students. This past weekend several universaties and schools had open doors to exhibit the work of their students and graduates. The Kunsthochschule Weißensee opened their graduates exhibition on Friday at the Kühlhaus at Gleisdreieck (those fashion experts amongst you know this place from SEEK). The exhibition titled Reif is still going on until the end of the week with a few special events on the weekend and you should definately check it out as there is some great art to be seen. For me personally I liked it better the higher I went in the building. They actually use the entire space, all 5 floors and the backyard so there is a lot to discover and the art ranges from sculpture, installation, film, photography and painting. My absolute favorite was the toy man by Aimo Gräven which you can see in the detail shot above. Enjoy more impressions after the jump on 2 pages.
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by Frank | Art, Photos
Today’s Cinéma de Mode features the latest fashion film by newcomer video artist Ulijana Andreeva for Berlin-based young fashion graduate Stefanie Barz‘s final collection. The film entitled Audio > Vision showcases experimental outfits inspired by the designer’s favorite songs, with complex designs and unconventional fabrics, materials and prints. Have a look at this atmospheric symbiosis of sound and moving images after the jump.
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by Devid | Fashion, Videos
On Saturday I took the chance to visit one of the most interesting vibrant creative hubs – the Uferhallen in Wedding – to see the exhibition opening of Nachschlag, a group show of art students from UdK and KH Weißensee. It’s one of the most fun exhibitions I have seen in a while and I loved many of the giant paintings that I saw there. You have to go there. It is still open this week daily from 14-19h with a finissage on Friday at 19h that will also feature a boxing fight (or something). Get an impression of my favorite pieces after the jump.
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by Frank | Art
photos: Maik Lagodzki
If there is one thing I really like in terms of art it’s gigantic artworks. That’s probably one of the reasons I like big street art murals, because where else would you have the space to create art in the size of a house. The art students of the UdK and KH Weißensee definately found a space for their huge canvases in the studios at the Uferhallen in Wedding. I love this place, not only because of their awesome restaurant Pförtner, but also because this place seems so independant and free from the hype around Neukölln.
This Saturday the students will celebrate the opening of their group show Nachschlag which will feature mainly huge paintings. I’m really excited about this show and will definately go there. When I discovered the photos by Maik Lagodzki who already made his way to the studios and took some photos of the work in progress I got even more enthusiastic about it. Get an impression of what is expecting you on Saturday after the jump!
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by Frank | Art
Chalet
After such a busy week such as the last one I actually feel like not doing anything for the next 7 days. But of course leaving you without my weekly list of event recommendations would not be fair. As I have so many photo sets still to prepare for the next days I will have to keep myself short this week.
On Tuesday bloggette and DJane Oh-Sophia is hosting a special (free) dinner at Merkezi. Salon der Alchemisten is a new party with live music taking place this Wednesday at Chalet, the new club inside former Heinz Minki that is now owned by the former Bar25 owners. On Thursday the HBC opens the big group exhibition Do It Again. Also, Stevie Hanley is having a book launch with an exhibition and live concert by Alexander Geist. On Friday the LEAP is opening their 4th edition of performance night Body Controlled. If you didn’t dare to take your crazy outfit out for fashion week, then maybe do it at the Blitz party. On Saturday London-based queer party Gutterslut is coming back to Berlin to haunt the Sisyphos with their big trannies.
This week is also the best time to visit the design schools here in Berlin, as they are all having an open house where they present the work of their students. UdK is open from Thursday to Sunday. The HTW is having their Werkschau from Friday to Saturday. And the Weißensee School is celebrating the opening of their exhibition of students work on Friday evening. The exhibition will continue until July 29th. Read on…
by Frank | Art, Fashion, Party
How many people do you know who are trying to apply to an art school like UDK or Weißensee? I feel like I know at least 100 of those young artists who tried to enter one on of the prestigious art academies Berlin has to offer. Even if most of them got rejected, some of them are currently really successful artist, stage designers, photographers and what not. On the other hand I know a lot of graduated artists who are working as bartenders. I always realized that success in art academies has nothing to do with financial succes. THIS IS FOR LOSERS is a project in Berlin that has set itself the task of give attention to unconsidered artists. They are looking for artists of all kinds that were rejected this or last year at Berlin’s art schools. Find out more about their project and how you can apply on their facebook page.
by Claudio | Art
