42 English Translations
colors to the backside of his pieces, so that the resul-
finally submitting to its own inevitable destruction.
I get my inspiration where I live and work. The ideas can
partially left to chance. Pastels, oil and acrylic paint
Where art is created - a visit to
perambulations, such as over the ornamental floor in
seeps through their linen, burlap and even hemp can-
three Berlin art galleries (p. 18)
the Gesundbrunnen station, which he put on canvas in
vases, creating unpredictable abstract compositions
Any experiencing of an artwork depends on “its ambi-
cassette tape to a size of one to one and to a height of
with rich textures and moments of sublime coinci-
ence, its importance, and its place in the literal and figu-
3,64 meters. Of course, he noticed he was pushing the
dence. The exhibition’s title, Master of Color, reveals
rative sense,” postulated Adorno in his aesthetic theory.
boundaries of his studio, but also there was a solution:
its core concern, but while these works pay obvious
And he's right. A space detached from the art is hard to
each of the four components could be accurately drawn
homage to the modern titans of painting history,
imagine because it’s the framework in which the viewer
up between the columns of the room, and the pieces
they are also created with the irreverent gesture of a
perceives the work.Art in public spaces references the
were then reassembled on location.
contemporary aesthete.
place where it is located. The perception of an exhibi-
ting picture is partially determined by the artist and
also come from objects in my home.” Or on his daily
ted object in turn depends significantly on the gallery
Mira O’Brien
Marcus Steinweg –
space, the available lighting, and the site of presentati-
The studio of the American ar-
„Diagramme“
on within the room as well as the other objects.But how
tist Mira O’Brien is also in the
3 Sep – 15 Oct
do the places look where the art works are created? How
Wrangelkiez neighborhood. It’s
BQ, Weydingerstr. 10
big is the impact of space on the artists, the creative
in a small modern building,
Tue – Sat, 11 am – 6 pm
process and thus, on the object itself? We visited three
which is “..as if it landed right
The problem often with con-
Berlin artists in their workplace to find out what their
in an overgrown garden,” says
ceptual art is that it must be
studios mean to them..
Mira. With its large windows and overgrown vines gro-
accompanied by a text, so that the viewer can begin
wing on the walls, it’s in stark contrast to the Kreuzberg
to understand what, exactly, he or she is observing. In
Gregor Hildebrandt
area. She’s worked for two years in the building that is
Marcus Steinweg’s exhibition Diagramme at BQ, the
Gregor Hildebrandt's studio is
owned by a daycare center. Mira uses a lot of glass, pa-
explanatory text becomes the artwork itself, leading
located on the fourth floor of
per, water colors and ink in her work. It’s especially im-
us towards the answer to, perhaps, the ultimate ques-
an industrial monument that
portant for her to always have enough daylight in her
tion: What is art? Steinweg is a contemporary philoso-
dates back to 1928. The cubic
work space, especially in winter. In addition, she needs
pher with artistic leanings. His diagrams are exercises
forms of the former brewery,
to feel good in the space and the atmosphere has to be
in meta-narrative, post-modern deconstruction. As-
which was built by Bruno Buch,
right. Both wishes were met in in the Wrangel Strasse
sembled using crude, basic materials – magic marker,
bears clear traces of Bauhaus architecture. If you can
space. One of Mira's thematic main points of focus is
scotch tape, white printer paper – the artist has broken
imagine the typical building of a Berlin artist's studio,
the overlap of nature and architecture, for which she
down significant constructs, whether social, cultural or
this is it. Already as you enter you can’t help but noti-
searches for similarities between artificial and organic
philosophical, through the use of classical philosophic
ce the cassette tape, the material Hildebrandt mainly
structures. In this respect, the studio is ideally suited
references and his own insightful articulations. This is
works with. Six assistants are focused on their work. He
to inspire her and directly influence the result of her
one exhibition in which the art literally says exactly
moved in 2006 and has since shared the space with ar-
work: “I am really lucky to be able to work in a studio
what it is.
tist Axel Geis. Hildebrandt’s works sometimes takes on
that suits me in so many ways. Many of my drawings
quite expansive dimensions; one of his current works
depict specific parts of the architecture of this building.”
Sophie Erlund –
measures five meters in height. His studio’s actually
Mira considers her studio as a place of work, a source
„THIS HOUSE IS MY
too small so he rents an additional hall in Weissensee
of inspiration, and also as a laboratory where she tries
BODY“
that has the respectable ceiling height of seven meters
out new techniques that explore the properties of the
10. Sep – 22 Oct
eighty. Although the studio is not the perfect place for
materials she uses. Sometimes, the Yale graduate works
PSM, Strassburger Str. 6–8
his work, he feels very comfortable here in the Prin-
on installations outside her studio in locations that
Wed – Sat , 2 – 6 pm
zen Allee. The main room is long and bright. The long,
temporarily become her studio. Like for example when
Entering PSM’s back-lot galle-
solid wall offers an ideal work and presentation space.
installing When Breaking a Current on the Volksbüh-
ry, one is immediately struck by the austerity of This
The room is also perfect for eating together at a long
ne stage, where site could use a studio that had direct
House Is My Body, the current show by Sophie Erlund.
table, as Gregory observes with satisfaction. If he wants
access to the theater balcony. This particular observer
The gallery is, in fact, almost entirely empty. And yet,
to take pictures of his work, he just goes next door to
position fundamentally shaped her work there. Mira is
the space is full – of sounds. Recorded using special
Axel’s room, which can be completely darkened and
currently working out a proposal for a project in Istan-
contact microphones, the artist spent three years
only lit with artificial light. Another advantage is its lo-
bul, which she hopes to realize. But she must leave out
auditing the demolition of buildings around Berlin,
cation: it takes him just ten minutes by train or bike to
many details because these are in fact determined by
including the fated Palast der Republik. Erlund re-
get here from his home on Rosenthaler Platz. The influ-
the parameters of space she will use.
corded the physical vibrations in the buildings’ core
ence of the studio on Hildebrandt's work is much less
materials as they were being razed. Separated into
than the influence of the exhibition site because many
four distinct sections, like a symphony, the resulting
of his works are conceived within the confines of speci-
melodies resonate with hulking steel beats, aggres-
fic gallery spaces. “On the other hand,” says Gregory, “I’ve
sive splintering, and the solemn sighs of a structure
already put one of my studio windows on canvas.