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Berlin Art Week? It's the talk of the town, and guess what? We've got the ultimate insider's guide to help you navigate the coolest happenings. We've handpicked the events that totally vibe with the artsy spirit of this whole shindig. Think mind-blowing exhibitions, mind-bending performances, and all the artsy-fartsy stuff you can handle. Our guide is your shortcut to experiencing Berlin Art Week like a true creative maverick. See you out there! :)
"25 roses. The artist is growing them in his garden. The garden of a countryside house- and studio in Neulewin, Oderbruch. Geologically speaking Oderbruch is situated in a Urstromtal (a broad glacial valley) formed by meltwater of the last ice age.
The eternal drifting. Ideas, material, ideas, material. The tools of the sculptor. Timo Klöppel (*1981 in Berlin) is one of the most genuine sculptors whom I have ever acquainted. He is literally a Bildhauer. He adds and removes material and positions it, for us to see or feel its presence. He creates with an immense energy; he drifts with his visions.
As one might remember from his soloexhibiton NACHTMEERFAHRTEN in the former gallery space of KWADRAT in 2015, Klöppel crossed the Atlantic Ocean on a cargo sailing ship in 2014-15. The crew of this journey is not visible in this exhibition, but another one is. A crew consisting of 13 persons with Fridtjof Nansen in charge of the expedition. They are looking out at us from a shimmering silver wall, the single portraits painted with aquarelle, ink and collage. Constructed for this journey, the ship Fram took off on the expedition, planned not really to sail - but to drift through the ice of the Arctic Ocean with the goal of being the first to reach the geographical North Pole. The crew travelled in the ship over three years (1893-96), enclosed but also carried by drift ice, they never actually reached their goal.
Before starting to write this text, I asked the artist: what would you like to say with this exhibition? He looked up from a crate full of tomatoes he grew in his greenhouse this summer, he said:
In Das Ewige Treiben, we are invited inside this experiment entering through a roof; here the sculptor presents us to his paintings, photography, a stone collection; to become a part of it and dream along or drift ashore.
Standing here myself, side by side with the polar explorer Hjalmer Johansen (1867-1913), I suddenly think of the quote ‘… Only through each other can we live and breathe, and no-one creates alone…’, by the Danish sculptor Sonja Ferlov-Mancoba. Had I not remembered that she wrote this in a letter to an art historian in 1979, I would have claimed that the artist had whispered it to me in a dream."
(Text: Ellen Martine Heuser, September 2023)
"across the star-flooded fields the sound is shining clear
composed of glimmering lights
it’s frothing the viscous air inhaling the copper promise
in the frayed tint speckled with olfactory traps
slithering away in the lustrous gardens
through cushions of time
dictating the direction of winds
— crosslucid (2023)
‘Dwellers Between the Waters’ (2023) is conjured as a series of hybrid rituals that mediate the space in between physical presence, trauma, memory, healing and virtuality. Polyphonic in its artificially-intelligent framework, Dwellers Between the Waters could be experienced as a happening that is chanted by various elemental entities such as waters, winds, earth, air, algorithm... as well as poetry, history, magic, human and more-than-human creatures... This happening of digital rituals questions the singularity of humanist perception on reality. Co- performing with artificial intelligence, it attempts to create alternative epistemologies and outlooks on the (so-called) reality through rendering multi-focal narratives and embedding the psycho-magical practice in forms of living ‘sigils’
Combing artificial intelligence with the practice of magic and alchemy, Dwellers Between the Waters seeks possible solutions in response to the traumas of the contemporary anthropos, and examines how artificial intelligence, in terms of artistic practice, remains integral to our contemporary condition, that is, the ever-evolving climate crisis and the sixth extinction of species coupled with wars, inflation, capitalist exploitations...By evoking, cultivating and connecting various forms of consciousness in the virtual realms, Dwellers Between the Waters invites the ‘dwellers’ who inhabit in and among ‘realities’ to share their stories and experiences, which then feed back to the (so-called) reality as evolving strings materializing across both physical and virtual domains to (hopefully) bring novel perspectives for further changes.
“to be-come one of the dwellers is to be(-come) water — a return to our cosmic origin where the very state of dwelling itself is an effortless action (wu-wei 無為). we flow, at the same time we root, to be aware, to be passed through, to feel okay when being passed through — our translucent, hydro bodies are filled with the certitudes of a spring sun that makes us shimmer.” (Oxi Peng)
During the month of September 2023 specific scenes from the project currently on show in its entirety at FC Carolinum Linz will inhabit and dwell amongst various spaces and locales within the city of Berlin.
These locations are characterized by their dedication to the principles of care, grass root work, actively engage with progressive intellectual discourse, include artist studios, queer spaces, think tanks, and impromptu interventions, fostering an inclusive and non-hierarchical approach to storytelling beyond the white cube."
Opening hours: THU-SUN, 15H-19H
Poetry by: Oxi Peng
Soundscape and Voice by: Sayaka Botanic
Sound mixing: Louis McGuire
"The city as a theme in art has a rich and diverse history influenced by various cultural movements and artistic trends. Its representation is versatile, ranging from realistic depictions to abstract interpretations. It reflects changes and developments in society, technology, and urbanization, allowing artists to explore the complexity and diversity of urban life. In the exhibition ‘Urban Frameworks,’ artists Heiko Huber, Thomas Nitz, and Karla Zipfel have portrayed the city in their individual ways.
Heiko Huber‘s works are a captivating interplay of realism and abstraction, where color and form meld together in a unique fashion. In his series ‘the lines between,’ which offers a fresh perspective on Berlin, Huber creates abstract pieces that still capture the essence of well-known city landmarks. His 360-degree long-exposure shots of subway stations convey the dynamic and fleeting nature of urban life, accentuating the interplay of light, colors, and shapes in this environment.
Thomas Nitz is an artist who blurs the boundaries between painting and photography. His distinctive technique involves multiple exposures on specially prepared surfaces, giving his photographs a unique texture and tactility. Each of his works is a one-of-a-kind piece since the development of the photo depends on the individual behavior of the surface. In his series “Cathedrals and Metropolis,” Nitz explores shopping malls and urban landscapes as modern cathedrals of consumption, reflecting the urban transformation.
Karla Zipfel examines the power of public appearances in her art. She takes buildings, everyday products, and media as symbols of social dynamics and distorts them in her works through the imitation of industrial surface aesthetics. The hybrid objects that emerge play with visual and thematic references, interconnecting them. Zipfel’s installations evoke commercial, domestic, or sacred contexts, challenging how the design of objects and spaces conveys societal norms."
"ARCHITECTONIC APPROXIMATIONS highlights works located at the edge of abstraction celebrating a spectrum reaching from geometric precision to the crumbling ruins of what once was and is a habitat for future adaptations to come. The exhibition questions built environments as habitats and thus crosses a threshold between existing and fading encompassing “time” as depictions that echo building materials in their various states of existence."
"An exhibition of contemporary art that focuses on works by artist duos offers a fascinating opportunity to explore creative synergies and the diversity of styles and media. Artists working together produce innovative works that engage in visual dialogue, illuminate complex themes from multiple perspectives, experiment with new techniques, and create rich and diverse narratives. These works often reflect the exchange of ideas between the artists and add an emotional intimacy to the exhibition. All in all, this exhibition offers an engaging and challenging art experience that takes visitors on a journey through contemporary collaborative expression.
As this exhibition project planned for September will have the # 202 (number of exhibitions of LAGE EGAL since its foundation in 2010), we thought of presenting a selection of duos of international, Berlin-based artists in a group exhibition for the large rooms of Paul-Linke-Ufer 44a.
The number two (1+1) appears again and again like a leitmotif:
A curatorial tandem, the artist duos, the exhibition # 202, the exhibition over two loft floors, etc. And then the house number 44 echoes like an echo times two!"
Curated by Pierre Granoux and Christian Gfeller
"Responding to the exclusivity of Berlin Art Week, American transdisciplinary artist Brennan Wojtyla goes in the opposite direction, exchanging the sterile gallery environment for an underground dungeon as the setting for his inclusive exhibition titled "Digital Debris." His installation turns the atmospheric basement of the SpätiBros into symbolic digital data storage. The link between art and data encourages the audience to reflect on industrial processes, digitalization, and the role of work.
In a powerful counterpoint to the exclusivity that often characterizes Berlin Art Week, American transdisciplinary artist Brennan Wojtyla invites us into an inclusive and rough space. His latest solo exhibition, “Digital Debris,” shuns the sterile aesthetic of the conventional gallery for a more subterranean setting—the atmospheric basement of SpätiBros, the nightstore adjacent to SomoS Art Space. His underground installation invites the audience to engage with topics such as industrial evolution, digitalization, the role of work, and, ultimately, the transformative power of art.
Wojtyla’s artistic sensibilities are deeply rooted in the post-industrial landscapes of his hometown, Jacksonville, North Florida. His early expressions took the form of graffiti art, imbibed with a rebellious spirit that he’s managed to retain as his work evolved toward Post-Vandalism and Conceptual Art. His subsequent sojourns in European post-industrial cities like Leipzig and Berlin did more than just affirm the universality of industrial decline; they also broadened his perspectives on deindustrialization, labor, and urban decay, which he captures through various mediums—from aerosol drawings and art installations to digital-and video art.
The exhibition, enveloped in ambient sound and fractured beams of daylight, beckons viewers to illuminate the environment with their torches, making for an interactive and immersive experience. This participatory element serves to further Wojtyla’s intention to democratize the art world. “Digital Debris” aims to punctuate the dialogue with the local community, thus offering a counter-narrative to the class-driven isolation prevalent in the art ecosystem. Significantly, the artworks themselves are born from discarded materials scavenged from Berlin’s streets. This cyclical process of transformation extends beyond artistic creation to imply a form of urban recycling. Wojtyla’s meticulous research and documentation of these reclaimed industrial objects render his art relatable, thereby engaging a broader spectrum of viewers.
Indeed, a defining aspect of Wojtyla’s oeuvre is his emphasis on transparent processes. By documenting the creative journey and foregoing any form of artificial mystique, he aligns his identity more closely with a laborer than an enigmatic artist. This commitment to clarity and accountability serves as both a critique and an invitation, urging artists and art spaces to be more inclusive and transparent.
The inspiration for the exhibition originated in the clutter of folders on the artist’s computer. Wojtyla transfigures this “digital debris” into tangible art, thereby converting the basement into a physical manifestation of a digital repository. Each piece, whether it’s a single-line aerosol painting or a data sculpture, was initially conceived in digital form. This intriguing meld of physical and digital worlds prompts us to ponder our ambivalent relationship with data and digitalization.
In Brennan Wojtyla, we see an artist who endeavors to eliminate the opaque barriers that often alienate audiences from contemporary art. Digital Debris serves as a multilayered narrative that breaks down artistic elitism, thereby embodying Wojtyla’s drive for a more egalitarian and comprehensible artistic landscape. Amidst the entangled complexity of data and industry, he finds a harmonious language that speaks to both our intellect and our emotion—a dialectic that invites us to question, reflect, and ultimately, to engage."
"Uhura" is the name of a Berlin project space not far from the gallery mile Frankfurter Allee, in a basement of a backyard building. The name was derived (pseudo-feminised) from the Swahili word "Uhuru", which means "freedom" in English. The beauty of the word and its symbolic value led to the naming of bands, record labels, ferries and even NASA satellites, among other things. The word became most famous, however, when the black actress Nichelle Nichols was cast as the communications officer of the Starship Enterprise in the 1966 television series Star Trek. Legends surround her character and the person who probably had to be persuaded by Martin Luther King to carry on. Whether she was really involved in the first kissing scene between a black and a white person on American television (she herself says that their lips never touched) is as controversial as her affairs with Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and Sammy Davis, Jr., or how Uhuru became the fantasy word Uhura. She was definitely the first African-American actress to be immortalised by a handprint in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Her list of avowed fans is long, most prominently Barack Obama, but don't we all love her?The exhibition "Hailing frequencies open, Sir" makes use of Lieutenant Uhura's most frequent quote. As an extremely polyglot commanding officer (mother tongue Swaheli, by the way), it was her job to make first contact, to mediate, to explain and to translate. So we thought: isn't that exactly the role of visual arts in society? Not only in the 23rd century from the perspective of the 1960s. But here and now. The artists and works for this exhibition were also selected with this in mind: to boldly go where no man has gone before."
Curated by Peter Wasmachteigentlich e René Holm
"The oldest shrines found to this date by archaeologists are in a series of circular structures excavated on the Anatolian Peninsula, dating back to nearly 10.000 years ago. All we can say is that the shrines on Potbelly Hill (Göbekli Tepe) are the oldest we have found. This does not mean they are truly the oldest or the first. The bodies of dead gods might still be buried under mounds we mistake for simple hills, or visited by fish only in the depths of the sea, in areas that were above sea level at one ice age or another.
History is a tapestry of eras and ages. Every human being shares a single planet with all others, but not a single world.We do not live homogeneously, not only due to the socioeconomic inequalities on Earth today. Certain societies become secularised, and their shrines attain different functions. In Maastricht, a 700-year-old cathedral became a bookstore.
In other areas of the world, bookstores become churches. In multicultural countries, monotheistic communities live side by side with polytheistic ones. In one neighbourhood, a single god delivers his ten commandments to new batches of children every year, and just a few kilometres away new initiates receive their head blessing and become children of an entity in a pantheon of many gods.
Our oldest worshipping behaviour must have arisen from similar questions: awe at certain natural phenomena, beautiful as the aurora borealis, or terrifying as a volcano eruption or earthquake. We imbue the inanimate with an 'anima', with volition and consciousness. In animistic societies, everything that lives has a soul and divinity, from humans to ants. We bury our dead and create our ancestors, our guides. Death is a maker of gods. Shrines have a double function. Whatever is placed on a shrine is declared worthy of protection. Worthy of worship. Once protected and worshipped, its function becomes to protect the worshipper in exchange. It is a value exchange system.
How do we select objects and people in our world to declare them godly? What need is served by worship even in secular cultures? The saint and the idol. The hero and the lover. The leader and the star. We elevate some, and by consequence, bring down others? Is there a person on the planet who does not worship anything or anyone? In front of mirrors, individuals make hundreds of their bodies in the hope they too will worshipped. To be an Apolo. To be a goddess. Entire nations select symbols in the hope their citizens remain united under one flag, despite their differences. Our species might be addicted to worshipping.
Teenage boy bands break up and fans commit suicide. A man stalks a female pop star in an obsessive manner. Human beings set themselves on a fire in protest, living shrines of ideas such as Justice and Freedom, who are often personified in statues that imitate those of ancient gods. Is the New York Stock Exchange a temple and a shrine? Is the Old Bailey in London, or the Reichstag in Berlin? Is Route 66 a horizontal shrine? Is the monument in Ostia, where Pier Paolo Pasolini was murdered, a shrine? Is Carnegie Hall a temple of music? Is the site of the World Trade Center a temple? Is the bedroom wall of a fifteen year old girl filled with posters of a Justin, be it a Timberlake or a Bieber, also a shrine?
This exhibition at Studio Hanniball brings together nine artists that investigate worship in different contexts of our heterogeneous world. How about you? What do YOU worship?"
Text written by Ricardo Domeneck
"We are grateful to come back after summer with three beautiful events planned together with SLEEK!
WED&THUR 13-14.09 (19h-22h) SLEEK ART WEEK EXHIBITION
Discover the Sleek Art Week exhibition by 6 talented artists at praise studio.
WEDNESDAY, 13.09. (19h-21h) EXHIBITION & LISTENING SESSION
Check out the exhibition all afternoon and join us for a VINYL listening session full of rare funk music together with incredible MENDA from New York.
THURSDAY, 14.09 (19-20h) EXHIBITION & PANEL TALK
Tune into our talk “Geld gegen Kunst” that builds bridges between art and commerce with:
- Christian Bracht (Sleek)
- Jenja Carow (KPM)
- Paul Prays (praise)
All Events are free entry.
See you there,
praise"
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