One of the intriguing things in Berlin is creative approach to utilizing space, whether that would be outdoors or indoors. People just seem to come up with ideas on what they’d like to do, grab the space, and convert it so that it roughly suits the occasion. No fine-tuning or hyper-hygienic cleansing done. Next day/week/year there might be something totally different going on, so what’s the use of polishing everything up?
A lot of hammering took place last weekend in Stattbad Wedding. Students graduating from art photo design school Lette Verein were busy setting up temporary walls for their photos and video viewing rooms in a former swimming hall, nowadays an exhibition centre.
The place still has a lot of its’ past atmosphere left, the pool and lockers have basically been left intact, but the showers have been removed. Maybe because they don’t want people to wet the art items on show:) As if the place could be converted back to pool usage any day, however unlikely the scenario is in current budget crisis of Berlin.
Walls in the pool area will host the exhibition, too.
Some remains of wardrobe. And of a previous exhibition.
The all white tile environment creates a strange feeling, and walking through dressing rooms, saunas and pool department make exhibitions (and other events) there a little bit alienated from “normal” gallery experience, I guess. And at the same time one thinks why do we want so often and so clearly design and dedicate spaces to one single purpose and function.
Writing this blog entry, the vernissage is on. Or, afterparty down in the cellar to be more exact. Right now they’re sipping beer at bar counter next to water pipes or dancing at the dance floor above water treatment tanks.
(Thanks guys, for showing Stattbad around, even though the door was closed:)
Stattbad Wedding, http://www.stattbad.net/
Exhibition, http://www.titled2011.de/
Lette Verein, http://www.lette-verein.de/Design
