Berlin! Berlin!

by Ruth Barker, 13 Dec 2009

Hello,
I’m writing this on Sunday night, because I’ve been working on PAR+RS stuff over the weekend as I may not have much time during the next week (for those who don’t know, I work 2 days a week on PAR+RS). The reason for my curtailed hours is that I’ll be in Berlin Wednesday 16th – Sunday 21st, working on a new performance. How exciting!

I’ll be meeting up with lots of friends while I’m over there, so any PAR+RS readers who are in Berlin next week, feel free to drop me an email. I’m also looking forward to seeing Catherine Street, a lunchtime conversation with whom was the catalyst for the trip.

I’m also very much hoping to meet with Harry Sachs, a really interesting artist whose collaborative work with Franz Hoefner seems to inhabit and to question the spaces between art and architecture. There’s a recent book about them: Hoefner/Sachs. I’m particularly interested in the Skulpturenpark Berlin project, of which I’ll paste the details (from the Skulpterenpark website) here:

Harry Sachs
Park Sculpture in Sculpture Park, 2009
Location: Alte Jakobstrasse/Stallschreiberstrasse
The military zone dividing East and West Berlin was the largest park area in Germany during the time of the Berlin Wall. With the only visitors being soldiers of the GDR army, the park had clearly marked routes and a strict dog leash policy. Due to the extensive use of pesticides, the costs of maintainance were low. Lawn mowing and tree care were not necessary.
In the last 20 years, this green belt has received less monitoring and maintainence than in all of its time before. Once partitoned with unavoidable walls, it is now partly edged by fences and structured by random paths, along a spectrum of rank growth of diverse flora and fauna.
As part of the ongoing exhibition series, Landreform, this part of Skulpturenpark Berlin_Zentrum will be declared a public park. To increase the amenity values of the place, the existing matrix of trails will be extended by new footpaths, organically blending in with the existing landscape. The rank growth will be secured and cultivated by circular framing. For recreation and contemplation a new park bench will be provided. People are encouraged to further bed plants and to place additional park benches. This sculpture is dedicated to those who have spontaneously used and developed the land for the last 20 years.

Interesting eh? I think so. I’ll be visiting the Skulpturenpark and taking some pictures for the Blog, and, as I say, I do hope to be able to meet Harry himself. If I do (he’s a very busy guy), I’ll be sure to tell you all about it.

Anyone got any tips? What do I HAVE to see in Berlin?

More later,
R