LEADER THE POSTDAMER STRASSE BERLIN CULTURAL FORUM 3 PHOTOGALLERIES TO SEE AN EXCLUSIVE WITH HENRY STÖCKER BEING AN INTERN IN A FOREIGN CITY THE GALLERY SCENE AN INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT FITZ PATRICK THE ISLAND OF MUSEUMS THE STORY ABOUT LINDA A CLOSER LOOK AT “THE BIG THREE” BERLINS WORKSHOPS By Group 10
Dear reader.
The Street art section will focus -
On behalf of the editorial staff, zine is set in Swiss style, due to the possibilities the workshops I am proud to present to you, the emphasis on the three main - edition - cover will, better than ever, be able to keep up with the everronment, which makes Berlin such a marvellous
In the very moment you
Don’t be like everybody else; stand out, stay informed - and enjoy!
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LE
R E D A we
subjects like what museums to visit in Ber-
and interviews we will map out the hottest exhibitions in Ber-
view with the world-renowned
stand out, stay informed - and enjoy!
of culture and art – but in a will be able to keep up with the Mads Roikjær too are sick and tired of dusty
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OF
FUSION
TIME
The Postdamer Platz plays a large role in the history of Berlin From being the busiest square before the war, destroyed by bombings during the war, no-man’s land during the time of the wall, to being the present city business district. Potsdamer Platz was the busiest place in the 20s and 30s.
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With the fall of the wall in 1989
Potzdamer Platz was bombed to pieces
The Postdamer Strasse Artists and gallery owners have turned their backs to the Mitte district for many years.
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If you are interested in art -
turning to the glory of the past,
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The latter can still be seen at the Kurf端rstenstrasse, -
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Gallery owner Peter Herrmann speaks of the nice community,
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By Group 11
BERLIN
CULTURAL FORUM
The Berlin Kulturforum belongs to the most important cultural sites of Germany. As cultural centre of former West Berlin numerous well known and unique institutions are situated here, among others the museum “New National Gallery” designed by architect Mies van der Rohe, the concert halls “Philharmonie” and “Chamber Music Hall” - home of the famous Berliner Philharmoniker. Also, the state library “Neue Staatsbibliothek” with its sensational reading room and last but not least the museum “Gemäldegalerie” with one of the most important collections of old master paintings worldwide.
heart of Berlin near to Potsdamer Platz. From here many touristic attractions can be reached by foot, among others the “Brandenburg Gate”, the “Holocaust-Mahnmal” and the “Regierungsviertel” with the “Reichstag” (i.e. seat of the German Parliament) and the
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“Kanzleramtsgebäude” (seat of the German Chancellor) as the political heart of Germany. Also the streets “Unter den Linden” and “Friedrichstraße” can be easily reached. The cultural centre of former West-Berlin “Kulturforum” is an important part of the history of Berlin. Highly supported and positioned near to the border in the heart of the city it was also a clear political sign for WestBerlins growth and vitality in hard times. The urban development plannings for the Kulturforum-site designed by architect Hans Scharoun in the 1960s can still be tracked today. During that time, the rebuilt places Potsdamer Platz and the octagonal Leipziger Platz from the 1990s were waste lands ruthlessly divided in half by the wall. Thus, the Kulturforum-site remains a historical document more than many other places in Berlin and therefore a walk over the site is always an interesting leap in the past as well.
3TO SEE
PHOTO G ALLERIES
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#1 Swedish photography Entering the Swedish Photography gallery the gallery provides Swedish artists with an
#2 Berlinische Galerie Berlinische Galerie was founded in 1975 in former West Berlin as a cultural association, dealing exclusively with art �madein-Berlin�. Today the Berlinische Galerie is permanently located in Alte Jackobstrasse near the Jewish Museum in a former glass warehouse. The gallery is a unique, Berlinfocussed, multi-disciplinary photography and architecture together. It reveals a great pas-
sion for experimenting and it is one of the youngest museums in Berlin. An art school that offers fun and creative activies for children, families and adults is also found at the gallery. The museum owns a large graphic art collection as well as photographs and architectural models. Sometimes it also hosts contemporary installations.
#3 Camera Work Photo Gallery This photography gallery was founded in 1997 and is inspired by Alfred Stieglitz the publisher of Camera Work magazine. The medium-sized, two-story space is tucked away in a picturesque courtyard away from the bustling Kantstrasse, providing a quiet and peaceful atmosphere in which to observe the prints. The gallery is particularly interested in the intersection between new photography and the medium’s investment value; as such, they regularly scout new and innovative photographers who constantly push their discipline forward.
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Camera Work owns one of the most comprehensive photo and photobook collections worldwide. It exhibits icons such as Helmut Newton, Diane Arbus, Irving Penn and Peter Beard as well as young contemporary photographers like Robert Polidori, Jean-Baptiste Huynh, Ralph Mecke, Martin Schoeller and David Drebin.
SURVIVE
IN THE WORLD
OF ART
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Henry Stöcker
We met the German artist, Henry Stöcker, in the Danish gallery ”Heike Arndt Gallery” in the centre of the German capital, Berlin. He is currently active with his exhibition ”Skulptur und Zeichnungen”
How did you and Heike Meet? Heike and I met for the ago, through a mutual friend, who is also a German artist. We both know about each other’s work, and have great respect for each other. I think it is very important that the gallery owner is an artist as well, because this often implies a better understanding of the art. Does it play a role that Heike is born and raised in Germany? No, I don’t think so, and later in our relationship. I see Heike more as a world citizen, than a Berliner.
Why did you choose to show your exhibition at Heikes Arndt Gallery? The main reason is of course Heike. We share many point of views, and we appreciate working together. Another reason is the gallery, which I am very fond of. It is located in the centre of Berlin and provides both small and large rooms, which exhibition. It also creates the intimacy that I think is important for my work.
What characterizes your current exhibition? I have an academic background as a biologist, es my work. I use many organic and human shapes. I have a particular focus on how the shapes relate to each other, like people relate to each other. Furthermore, I think art is for everyone. I have a great sense of humour and this goes into a lot of my work. Another thing that also seems to characterize my exhibition is that people believe they suddenly see something recognizable, but shortly after it will disappear.
What kind of people do normally buy your art? All kinds of people. However, most of my buyers share the desire for the simple and spartan expression that I use in my work. The largest pieces of art are normally bought because of their more abstract shapes and the way the shapes relate to each other. They are bought by people who love and, most important of all, understand the abstract.
By Group 10
BEING AN
INTERN IN A FOREIGN
CITY
A BRIEF OVERVIEW
OF THE GALLERY Gallery Heike Arndt Berlin is all about cultural exchange between Germany and Scandinavia. Heike is born in East Germany but is fascinated with the idea of Scandinavians not being divided into classes. This is one of the things that she would like to take back home with her to Berlin. ”Visiting galleries is way too fancy and exclusive in Berlin, and I’d like to change that”, Heike explains. ”I would like for people to come in and explore the art the same way as the rest of us”.
is therefore not dependent on sales in order to survive. ”It is much more about creating an experience for the average person on the street”, Heike says. Heike runs galleries in Milan, Kettinge and Nørrebro, and they are all mainly focused on sales – this is to cover all the expences and pay for the more ideologically based gallery in Berlin. ”It has actually been a really good month sales wise in Berlin”, Heike adds with a smile. ”But the main thing is the cultural exchange between Germany and Scandinavia”.
HEIKE ARNDT
GALLERY
NINA FROM DENMARK INTERN, 26 YEARS OLD Nina is currently spending three months in Berlin as an intern at Heike Arndts Gallery. She is responsible for keeping the gallery up and running along with three other Danish interns. We took a trip via the Berlin subway to visit the gallery in order to lin as a Danish intern.
How did you establish an internship with Heike Arndt Gallery? ”It’s actually a bit odd” she explains. ”I just googled culture, internship and Berlin, and this place showed a Danish gallery in Berlin”, she adds. ”I’ve been working in a gallery in Copenhagen as well, but this is quite different, because of the focus on cultural exchange”.
Nina has a bachelor in art history and has added one year of art research to her resume. She is currently studying for her masters in modern art communication at the University of Copenhagen. ”I’ve chosen Berlin, because Berlin, like no other city,
pay fulltime job, so where does the money for rent come in? ”It’s true that it is a job without pay, but since we are from Denmark, we do actually get SU (Danish educational support) when working and
queer environment”, Nina explains.
project, we can’t expect to get any salary.”
Can you manage with only the ”Not really” she states with a smile. ”I work 37-40 hours a week and therefore don’t have time for a second job. But I have applied for scholarships
What sort of work do you as an intern take care of in the gallery? ”We actually do about everything around here, when Heike isn’t here, of course. This includes administration, sales and tours”, she explains. ”And she is only in the gallery about a week a month – she’s got a lot to attend to”. ”Everyday meetings and such are done over Skype. We are currently four Danish interns in the gallery, with completely different backgrounds. A graphical designer, a programmer and one who studies German.”
What sort of work do you as an intern take care of in the gallery? ”We actually do about everything around here, when Heike isn’t here, of course. This includes administration, sales and tours”, she explains. ”And she is only in the gallery about a week a month – she’s got a lot to attend to”. ”Everyday meetings and such are done over Skype. We are currently four Danish interns in the gallery, with completely different backgrounds. A graphical designer, a programmer and one who studies German.”
you after working for Heike? ”Well… since a lot of the work here is management, I’m convinced that I can take that with me. Not necessarily at a gallery, but in cultural and creative institutions as a whole. Furthermore, Heike really trusts in us. This very morning I was given the task to evaluate whether or not an artist should have his exhibition here. And I don’t think that there are many places where interns get that kind of responsibility.”
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What are your plans when your internship ends? ”I’m going straight back to school, when the internship ends. And I’m not really sure what’s going to happen after that. But I would like to get a Ph.D. in some cultural research, maybe even combine that with art theory. I don’t think there is enough focus on that back home in Denmark and Copenhagen.” Could you imagine working in Berlin sometime in the future? ”Yes and no. Economically speaking, Copenhagen has better opportunities, mainly because of the support you get from the government. On the contrary, it would be easier to keep something going in Berlin. But then again, I wouldn’t be working as a working artist anyway”, she says.
SCENE
THE
GALLERY
Recent years have seen a boom of galleries in the area around Potsdamer Strasse, but you have to look carefully to spot them. For the most part, they are located in the smaller side streets and backyards. Moreover, they all support a minimalist style. As a result one will usually just
Due to the low rent in the area many of the galleries have relatively many square feet under their belt. The walls are still white, but the curators are experimenting extensively with the presentation of the art. Unfortunately the current trend towards lighting consists of
next to the entrance door, which reveals that there is a gallery somewhere in there.
light that can otherwise only be seen at newsagents and greengrocers owned by immigrants.
This is in stark contrast to the objective, which according to art historian Alice Goulschmidt is to get away from the traditional small, white “cubes� on the city’s main streets, and instead create a cozy and intimate atmosphere for the customers.
Kunstsaele Berlin is a good example of how this set-up presents the galleries with a range of different
into a gallery, a permanent collection and a salon. The idea behind the latter is to create a forum for discussions on art and related matters on special occasions. We are cafe! Well known gallery owners like Giti Nourbakhsch, Martin Klosterfelde, Klara Wallner and Maribel Lopez have all settled in the area, but an
actual thumbs up for the area occurred only recently, when Londonbased Blain-Southern opened a branch in the former headquarters for Der Tagesspiegel. The low cost of maintenance has also sparked a crop of newcomers to the gallery scene. We are talking about the likes of Sassa TrÜlzsch, Tanya Leighton, Reception and Sommer & Kohl, who are all trying to secure themselves a spot by presenting cutting edge art. Sometimes they succeed - at other times it is the Emperor’s new clothes over and over again.
If you plan to buy art ist and/or gallery owner in mind, it pays to set up an appointment in advance. In that case the door will be locked and you have the gallery all by yourself. Otherwise you are almost certain to run into a hectic gallery owner or director, who makes it perfectly clear that time is short. One can thus easily come to feel as if one is just a big burden.
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On the whole it is a tough business. In order to run a gallery one has to be familiar with art history, but most of all it is about establishing a proper network. You are basically a salesman, who just happens to deal in art. Or as Sassa Trölzsch expresses it with a weary smile: “The difference between the prostitutes on the street and me is not so great.”
HOWIS ART SCENE THESE DAYS ? We asked Robert Fitzpatrick, Gallery Director of Tanya Leighton Gallery some questions
INTERVIEW
ROBERT FITZ PATRICK
“Berlin is coming from a very rich history that is unpresedented anywhere else, and of course that history is undeniably a fabric of the new. What I think is interesting, is the abundant number of artists that are moving to the city every year from all over the world, which is really contributing to how the city functions. So the art world and the art scene has really penetrated the normal life of Berlin.” “I think that is really unlike anywhere else, and it went so far as convincing the current mayor to stage this large art event, which took place this past summer, called Based in Ber-
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lin, which displayed 80 young artist based in Berlin. It took place in 5 different spaces around the city and recieved a lot of attention and also critisism, and sparked a debate about how the city should be using its money and also about temporary structures. Of course this show was a temporary exhibition, and many found that the money that had been put into the show should have been put into something that had more sustainability; something that is going to be in existence for a while. One thing Berlin does not have is a Kunby the city.” “There is a lot of attention on the scene of young artists, and those artists - most of whom were born in the 80’s grew up with the inter-
ly life and with that their art practice. So there is that moment right now, where these artists are growing up and maturing in their careers and taking from this internet aestethic and implementing it into a more object based practice. The internet is basically a universal room, and the artists are taking up a language that is present in the virtual room and bringing it into the real room - into the gallery space.”
ART SCENE
HAS REALLY PENETRATED THE NORMAL LIFE OF
BERLIN
“
What is the art scene like in Berlin these days? What are the trends?
Berlin’s oldest and most renowned museum complex on Spreeinsel in the center. Here are Pergamonmuseet, Altes Museum, Neues Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie and the Bode Museum.
YOUR PERSONAL GUIDE TO BERLINS MUSEUMS ISLAND 5
The Bode Museum was designed by architect Ernst von Ihne and completed in 1904. Originally called the Kaiser-FriedrichMuseum after Emperor Frederick III, the mu-
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The Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin is a gallery showing a collection of Classical, Romantic, Biedermeier, Impressionist and early Modernist artwork, all of which belong to the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.
tor, Wilhelm von Bode, in 1956.
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Berlin Cathedral is the colloquial name for the Evangelical Oberpfarr- und Domkirche. It is the parish church of the Evangelical congregation Gemeinde der Oberpfarr- und Domkirche zu Berlin, a member of the umbrella organisation Evangelical Church of BerlinBrandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia.
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The Neues Museum was built between 1843 and 1855 according to plans by Friedrich August St端ler, a student of Karl Friedrich Schinkel. The museum was closed at the beginning of World War II in 1939, and was heavily damaged during the bombing of Berlin. The rebuilding was overseen by the -
architecture.
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The Pergamon Museum site was designed by Alfred Messel and Ludwig Hoffmann and was constructed in twenty years, from 1910 to 1930. The Pergamon houses original-sized, reconstructed monumental buildings such as the Pergamon Altar and the Market Gate of Miletus, all consisting of parts transported from Turkey. There is controversy over the legitimacy of the acquisition of the collection. It was suggested that the collection should be returned to Turkey.
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S OU
M A F E E R H T T ! A S T K ? S O A I O T D L R N I A R L E T T S R U O A L O C REET D AB ST HEAR ! R S E P V O E H S K R O W
E R T S
T R A T E
What is Streetart about?
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Street Art artists against
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Banksy is known for
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Banksys Street Art is
Workshop fantastic workshop loca“We take the back streets, and discover some of the latest and greatest examples of street art , graf-
a detailed look at over 50 local and international artists on the streets, and in
LINK TO ALTERNATIVE BERLIN
EDITOR IN CHIEF MADS ROIKJÆR CREATIVE DIRECTOR SIGNE DEDENROTH CREATIVE ASSISTING DIRECTORS SIMON FRIIS NIKLAS MORTENSEN CHIEF TECHNICAL INTEGRATION OFFICER NIKLAS MORTENSEN ASSISTING TECHNICAL INTEGRATION OFFICER SIMON FRIIS COPY EDITOR JESPER RICHARD CHRISTIANSEN LINE JØRGENSEN VIDEO AND FOTO EDITORS SIMON FRIIS NIKLAS MORTENSEN RASMUS FABER MADS ROIKJÆR JOURNALISTS MIKKEL ULSTRUP LARSEN MARTIN TORP ANDERSEN DAN BERTELSEN RASMUS FABER KASPER ANDERSSON RASMUS NOAH HANSEN MIKKEL RUESKOV JENSEN
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