Raymond Pettibon
drawings at Regen
Projects at the
European Art Forum.
Hans Hemmert,
Unterwegs, 1996.
John Currin,
Pamela, 1996, at
Regen Projects.
Christopher Wool,
Ohne Title, 1990.
Pipilloti Rist, Das
Zimmer, 1994-96,
at Galerie
Frank + Schutte.
Julian Opie, There is
an office building
(1 of 6), 1996.
Tracey Emin, Exorcism
of the Last Painting
I Ever Made, at
Galleri Andreas
Brandstrom.
The Hamburger
Bahnhof.
Andy Warhol,
Portrait Erich
Marx, 1978.
Daniele Buetti at
Galerie Ars Futura.
Ads for Steven
Prina's performance.
Hunter Reynolds
as Patina Du
Prey. Photo
Maxine Henrison.
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berlin art diary
by Mary E. Goldman
In November, Berlin really got to strut its
stuff and show off its diverse and
plentiful art scene. Both the opening of
the Hamburger Bahnhof, a new contemporary
art museum, and the launching of the city's
new European Art Forum art fair drew flocks
of visitors who were anxious to see how
Berlin is developing as it repositions
itself to be the nation's capital. I can't
imagine that anyone left dissatisfied, with
both established and alternative venues
alike staging exhibitions and parties that
fueled a tireless energy unique to the
city.
The impressive premiere of the European Art
Forum (Oct. 31-Nov. 4, 1996) hinted at the
city's potential to join Chicago, Paris,
Cologne and Basel as a host of a top-rank
international art fair. The event, held at
the Messe Berlin Exhibition and Trade
Complex, was organized by a new group, the
European Galleries Projektgesellschaft mbH,
an organization of 14 European galleries
that was formed in response to a general
frustration with the unmanageability of the
Cologne art fair. In the end, the European
Art Forum hosted more than 130 galleries
from 17 countries--over half were from
Germany, the rest coming from France,
the U.S. and Europe (including Russia).
The art fair was largely limited to
galleries that have proven themselves in
the fields of contemporary and modern art.
Forty percent of the booths exhibited work
created since 1945, the other 60 percent
from 1970 on. The average price range
didn't exceed DM20,000, although exceptions
existed, particularly for modernist works.
The galleries were configured
alphabetically through a double-aisled
square, with cafes, book dealers and art-
magazine tables occupying beveled corners.
Alphabetization proved to be a successful
and democratic format which offered a
random but even scattering of highly
reputed galleries.
I was working at the booth of Regen
Projects from L.A., which was often humming
with activity as his installation of works
by Matthew Barney, John Currin, Raymond
Pettibon, Richard Prince and Steven
Balkenhol attracted the attention of
collectors and browsers alike. Stuart
Regen, impressed by the space the Messe
provided, commented that the organizers
"made an effort to choose galleries that
shared a common thread." Although more
expensive than most fairs at DM 250 per
square meter (30 square meter minimum), the
area was breathable enough for each gallery
to exert a greater impact and presence than
is possible at those fairs that are more
crowded.
The European Art Forum attracted prominent
galleries that normally don't appear at Art
Cologne, including Max Hetzler (Munich and
Berlin), Galerie Hans Mayer (Dusseldorf)
and Luhring Augustine (New York). The
concurrent opening of the Hamburger Bahnhof
museum provided additional incentive to be
in Berlin at this time (over 17,000 people
attended the fair), and it will be
interesting to see whether the city will
stage another blockbuster event for next
year's fair. Some of the booths I
interviewed, such as Galerie Jablonka
(Cologne), Jay Jopling/White Cube (London)
and Galerie Bob van Orsouw (Zurich), shared
the opinion that the Messe did
exceptionally well for its fledgling
flight, but that art fairs need time to
prove themselves. The Messe was a financial
success for most, although I got the
impression that American galleries were
doing more business than many of the
Europeans. Interestingly, no one I spoke to
had sold to collectors they hadn't had
previous relationships with.
At the Fair's opening press conference, the
dominant note sounded from the podium was
to the effect that Berlin enjoys both the
geographic and historic position to be the
gateway to the East, and that the fair was
intended to serve as a forum for a cultural
dialogue between estranged nations as well
as to foster art sales. After about the
third speech I began to nod off, but I was
roused by the apparition of a man in a
Batman T-shirt who stormed the conference
yelling "Batman forever!" while swinging a
whirring toy, lasso style over his head.
Everyone sat in stunned silence until he
proceeded to squirt our distinguished hosts
in the face with a water gun. As he was
being "escorted" out, he threw a handful of
flyers into the air which urged everyone to
boycott the fair so as not to support an
"corrupt elite art mafia."
The unrest that resulted from this heroic
interruption, performed by Moscow artist
Alexander Brener (who has made an even
worse fuss before, at the "Interpol"
exhibition in Fargfabriken in Stockholm--
see Raphael Rubenstein's report in the
April 1996 Art in America) settled quickly
as the panel recomposed, but the ensuing
questions from the press focused on the
conspicuous absence of East European
galleries, particularly those from Germany.
Volker Diehl, the chairman of the
Projektgesellschaft, responded rather
unconvincingly that many galleries from the
east were invited, but declined because
they were not in a financial position to
join the Messe. It seems that the gateway
to the West can only be entered if you can
afford to tip the doorman on the way.
BERLIN MITTE `96
As it happened, a significant portion of
Berlin's galleries were not part of the
European Art Forum, and dealer Rupert
Goldsworthy, a British gallerist with a
Berlin space, took advantage of Berlin's
cultural spotlight by organizing an
alternative art fair that ran Oct. 31-Nov.
5, called Berlin Mitte '96. Not intended as
an unfair, the event "highlights the
current special flavor of Berlin Mitte, the
fastest developing urban and cultural area
in Europe." 16 galleries from Berlin,
Zurich, Lucerne, London, New York and Paris
exhibited in a 600-square-meter area
located in the heart of the city where a
concentration of new galleries has spring
up. In contrast to the sleek space-station
appearance of the other Messe hall, Berlin
Mitte '96 took place in the rooms of an
unrenovated former department store.
Although rough in appearance, it was an
admirable try given the speed and frugality
with which it was organized.
The opening night was surprisingly jammed,
as the Mitte mythology lured many to see
what the fuss was all about. Unfortunately,
the work was erratic, with a poor showing
from a number of Berlin galleries who
obviously didn't realize this was an
opportunity to prove their potential. One
success was Gallery Gabauer und Thumm,
which showed a dizzying video installation
by Michel Francois. Another was New York
dealer Pat Hearn's presentation of a Lutz
Bacher video in which she interviews a
frequently propositioned young woman. Also
eye-catching was the booth of Ars Futura
from Zurich, which exhibited disturbing
collages by Daniele Buetti, who scribbled on
the back sides of fashion ads, impressing
doodled scarifications on the skins of
famous models.
On the last day, I spoke with Armelle
Pradalier, representing the Galerie
Georges-Phillipe Valois in Paris. Her
general feeling was that the Mitte fair had
been a worthwhile experience. She noted,
however, that many Berlin gallerists were
not at their booths every day, which seemed
unprofessional given that this fair was
largely a promotion for them. After
interviewing a number of participating
galleries, I got the sense that work had
sold and valuable contacts made. Unlike the
big Messe, the majority of collectors who
bought were new clients. Goldsworthy
remarked, " I achieved more in the past
five days than I have in the two years I've
been in Berlin."
Berlin Mitte '96 provided a more honest and
diverse impression of what the art scene in
Berlin is all about. I was only
disappointed that a more collaborative and
enthusiastic spirit didn't exist between
the Mitte galleries, which would have
resulted in a stronger representation. This
perhaps is due to the fact that there are
very few collectors living in Berlin, so
many new galleries are not exactly
thriving. There was also the underlying
rumor that implied that associating with
the Mitte fair could put one on the
Projektgesellschaft's black list for next
year's Messe. Rupert Goldsworthy, feeling
disillusioned by Berlin, is taking some
months in New York to see if his
opportunities there are worth a move. It is
uncertain whether any of the gallerists in
Mitte will reorganize for next year.
HAMBURGER BAHNHOF OPENS
On Nov. 3, the new museum for "Contemporary
Times," showcasing the collection of Erich
Marx and selected works from the New
National Gallery, opened at the Hamburger
Bahnhof in Mitte. The museum is being
directed by Britta Schmitz, coming from the
New National Gallery, the state museum for
modern and contemporary art. A major hitch
facing the administration is the condition
imposed by Marx that stipulates that he
must first approve the art works before
they can be displayed in the museum.
Failure to comply would result in his
pulling out the collection.
Marx compiled the bulk of his collection in
the 1970s and '80s with the guidance of
Heiner Bastian, who had been Joseph Beuys'
assistant and later made his career as a
private art dealer. Marx's interest seems
to be in Conceptual, Minimalist and Pop
Art, and features mostly German and
American artists. Work by Joseph Beuys and
Andy Warhol is the cornerstone of his
collection, as he purchased a vast amount
of early drawings by both artists, as well
as major pieces representative of their
artistic styles and thematic progressions
throughout their respective careers. Also
of importance are Cy Twombly, Roy
Lichtenstein and Robert Rauschenberg,
acquired with a similar thoroughness.
The building, a neoclassical former railway
station, is now decorated with a neon
installation by the late artist Dan Flavin,
shrouding the museum in an eerie purple
glow. Approaching it is a dramatic
experience, particularly when the sky is
gray or dark (which it is most of the year
in Berlin), further punctuated by
neighboring construction cranes that adopt
a sculptural quality by virtue of
association. Upon entering the main railway
area, one is immediately dwarfed by the
scale of both the space and the work. The
hall maintains its original infrastructure
with arched ceiling, gray girders and
windowed back wall. I was struck by the
uniformity and coldness of its initial
impact. The room is dominated by four
mammoth installations. Two large-scale lead
sculptures by Anselm Kiefer, a glass igloo
by Mario Merz and a stone piece by Richard
Long entitled Berlin Circle. The structure
of the hall detracts from the experience of
perceiving each artwork as an independent
entity, even making the corrosive aura of
the Kiefer work seem sterile.
In general the collection sits
uncomfortably in the building. Laid out in
a wishbone shape, there are different
stairways and dead ends which disorient the
visitor. Although not a huge museum, I was
never certain if I had missed entire
sections, which in fact I had on my first
visit. The role of the Hamburger Bahnhof is
unclear, as it vacillates between being a
museum and a showplace for Marx. The
sporadic mixing of art from the New
National Gallery makes it impossible to
ascertain his vision for the collection,
but the omission of artists who would have
been appropriate to show along with his
collection prevents it from functioning as
a well-rounded contemporary museum. This
problem is exacerbated by the absence of
any clarifying wall text, which is
particularly disturbing in the Beuys and
Warhol rooms, where the early and later
works are devoid of historical context.
Regardless of that oversight, the museum
houses some exceptional work, such as
strong videos from Bruce Nauman, Bill Viola
and Gary Hill. One of the more successful
installations is Document I-V, made by
Reinhard Mucha in 1992 for Dokumenta IX.
Perhaps the greatest treasure offered by
the Hamburger Bahnhof is the Beuys Archive,
the only comprehensive library of his taped
performances.
The Hamburger Bahnhof fills a gap for
contemporary art which had existed in the
museum culture in Berlin, as many artists--
Matthew Barney, Rachel Whiteread and Cindy
Sherman, to name a few--have not had much
previous exposure in the city. The museum
also organizes special events, concerts and
programs in the evenings. I am encouraged
by what the museum means to the city, but
was hoping that it would be a more dynamic
experience than it turned out to be.
TECHNOMEDIA AT THE BUNKER
My disappointment was eradicated later that
night as the Bunker celebrated its re-
opening with the exhibition "Files," based
on the theme of technology and its
influence on communication, art and
architecture. Built in 1941 by the Third
Reich, the Bunker is an imposing building
in the middle of Mitte which has been,
among other things, a civilian shelter
during WW II, an ammunitions bunker for the
Red Army, and a storage house for fruits
and vegetables during DDR times. After the
fall of the wall, it was transformed into a
techno-club which occasionally presented
theater and avant-garde events.
The exhibition, organized by the Society
for Art and Technology, consisted of
multimedia pieces installed in a labyrinth
of small rooms and hallways. Over 20
artists participated, including Claudia
Tyne Pullman (Germany), Bigert & Bergstrom
(Sweden), Matthew McCaslin (USA) and Alexej
Shulgan (Russia). 4,000 people attended the
opening night (the building's capacity is
2,000), not the most optimal condition to
see the work, but it added to the
voyeuristic sensation of peeking around
dark corners as crowds of people stood
transfixed by the strobing effects of
monitors flashing everything from Internet
messages to images of explosions. Many of
the projects used the Internet, which was
at this time still somewhat of a novelty in
Berlin. I was mesmerized by the film Crawl
Space by Jane and Louse Wilson (Great
Britain), a non-narrative short film pieced
together with the signifying ingredients of
the horror genre, i.e. rapid editing, heart
beat sounds and slow dolly shots down
menacing abandoned corridors. The suspense
culminates in the words "crawl space,"
which materialize on the skin of a woman's
naked abdomen. The night ran late as the
house-party downstairs didn't really pick
up speed until 1:00 a.m. At times the
energy in Berlin is truly infectious and
before I knew it, it was time for a large
Früstück (breakfast) to absorb some of
toxins of the evening.
OUT IN BERLIN
On Nov. 3, locals and visitors flocked to
club SO36, to see New York artist Steven
Prina give a late-night solo concert called
"Sonic Dan." He sat behind an electric
keyboard on a blue-lit stage and gave a 90-
minute performance of Sonic Youth and
Steely Dan songs. Prina has a surprisingly
good pop-star voice, and the evening turned
California lounge style which put the
audience in a relaxed and festive mood--
particularly when they were able to
identify a song like "Ricky Don't Lose That
Number." Only the Americans in the audience
seemed to be getting the humor of it all,
but that didn't prevent everyone from
thoroughly enjoying the evening.
After a couple of recovery nights at home,
I was given the opportunity to don my newly
purchased black beaded '40s cocktail dress
to attend a black-tie AIDS benefit given by
the Deutsche AIDS Stiftung (German AIDS
Fund) at the Berlin Opera House. My friend
Hunter Reynolds was invited to give a
performance art piece during pre-theater
and intermission. This performance is only
one element of a large oeuvre dealing with
remembrance and loss. That night he stood
on a rotating platform, much like a jewelry
box ballerina, dressed in his "Memorial
Dress," a ball gown covered in the names of
AIDS victims, names that were originally
taken from the American AIDS quilt.
The main theatrical event was a wonderful
mixed arrangement of opera performed by
such internationally renowned talent as
Monsarrat Caballe, Karen Armstrong, Giacomo
Aragall and Lucia Aliberti. I was told the
event was star-studded, but since my
knowledge of Germany's gliteratti is
limited, I missed out on the thrill. But,
in seeking relief from my blood red satin
pumps (which were turning into torture
devices), I happened to fall into a chair
across from Jean-Paul Gaultier, who smiled
at me knowingly, obviously sympathetic to
my sacrifice for fashion.
It is a challenge to get bored in Berlin,
and the range of experiences lets one ride
the roller coaster in black tie or leather
pants depending on your mood. Perhaps the
most interesting aspect of cultural life in
Berlin is the constant clashing between
it's problematic history and unresolved
future. One feels the past lives of
buildings, particularly in Mitte and
Prenzlauerberg, another up-and-coming
neighborhood adjacent to Mitte, deeper in
the former East. Although art exhibitions
are often unrelated to their neighborhoods,
the contrast brings one's perception into
sharper focus. It is a city where the high
and low compete for attention, which is
indicative of the "Mauer dem Kopf" (wall of
the mind) that still very much exists
between the East and West. But from this
struggle for identity springs an unlimited
diversity, giving one the sensation that
Berlin is a city where anything is
possible.
MARY GOLDMAN is an American critic and
curator who works at Contemporary Fine Arts
in Berlin.
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