Piet Mondrian exhibition at Martin Gropius Bau

At the beginning of September, I enjoyed a lot of free sunny weekends, a good opportunity to carefully check some art events and exhibitions in the city. As I regularly do twice the year, one of the stops was Martin Gropius Bau for the retrospective of Piet Mondrian works. It reunited works from Den Haag, the largest collection of Mondrian works. 

The exhibition, that can be seen till the beginning of December, offers an overview of the evolution of Mondrian's work conception. Although his abstract works are more known to the public, his beginnings - realistic, inspired by the 17th century tradition of Dutch landscape, or influenced by Cubism, De Stijl or impressionism - were often obstructed by his popular abstract works. The famous 'Line' is part of the current works exhibited, but discovering the previous styles was for me by far more challenging and interesting. The exhibition, separated into spaces that are dedicated to various stages in the artistic life of the painter, is revealing an artist that permanently reinvented himself.

The development of his work with lines went through different stages, and architecture, besdes  theosophy, played an important role in reshaping his identity. It worked together with the vision on the space and changing perception of it. Many were also his influences, gathered during the various inspirational places he visited. Between 1912 and 1917 he went through a Cubistic stage following his stay in Paris and the delapidated buildings, probably the consequence of the WWI damages, prompted his abstract beginnings.

At the end of the exhibition I felt the same way after reading a good book: the sadness that it finishes. Maybe till December I can give it one more try... 

Summer of pop-up stores

It is plenty of pop-up store in the Eastern part of Berlin, but thanks to the creative people from Bikini,also in the West. The temporary fashion spaces are becoming not only places to trade merchandise, but also to offer inspiration and creative energy. Brunnenstrasse 190 is hostign till July 31, Popup Fashion BLN and went this week to have a look around.

The space is big enough to accommodate a lot of people and different kind of tailored products, from evening gowns and glittering rocks to jewellery made practically out of everything.

There is even a Japanese-inspired corner using traditional kimono textures for bags - love them - or caps. The prices are medium to high, the usual average in an area with many cretive hubs and tailored unique fashion.

For the environmental aware, there are home-made Brazilian soaps that look like tempting pieces of chocolate. 

Near by, at no. 195, a different pop-up store is aimed to create no only shopping temptations, but also to bring a piece of Japan to Berlin. Connecter Tokyo Pop-up Store aka. Tokyo meets Berliner is open till the beginning of August.

 I was disappointed because I was expected a bigger space, but still it is enough to exhibit gorgeous dresses with manga motives. The colours are so pleasant and fashionable that I would love to buy them all.

And if I want some pancakes with honey to dress my feet, I know from where I can bring a bit of extravaganza into my life. It is never too late to dramatically change my style and a Japanese pop-up store is the right place to start the rewamping. 

Berlin histories: Plötzensee Memorial

One of the first things I do as I either work or live in a new area of a city is to find out interesting places, restaurants as well as special histories. As in the last weeks I started a new job in the Moabit area, that I explored previously but only superficially, it was about time to find out more than the things you can easily reach by foot. Situated in the Charlottenburg district, there is a place called Plötzensee where I arrived relatively easy after a bus ride of around 15 minutes. The first view was the colourful houses from the Kleingarten Saatwinkler Damm colony.

It is a Thursday summer day and many people are outside in the garden either enjoying the sun or taking care of their piece of green land. Alongside small streets with names like Bergweg or Steinweg, you can feel the smell of roses and the view of cherry trees with fruits almost ready to be served. Although surrounded by an industrial landscape, this little paraadise, founded in 1923, encourages serenity and care-free thoughts.

Only ten minutes away of slow walking on Emmy Zehden Road there is nothing but serenity: the high walls of the Plötzensee prison where during the WWII around 3,000 people that opposed Nazism- including Zehden herself - were murdered.

I go through the massive doors bordered by big walls, entering the memorial space, created in the vicinity of the prison, currently in use. 

It reigns the quietness you might expect from a memorial, but there is also something else that makes you feel under pressure because actually the place is still in use. I walk slowly, as I don't want that my presence got noticed, advancing through the gates further in the yard.

The Plötzensee prison was built outside the gates of Berlin from 1868-1878, ad covers around 25 hectares. The red-bricked administration offices nowadays are organised as exhibition spaces, while the church and the infirmary were left to the prison. After 1933, Plötzensee started to be used as a remand prison for political detainees, following the decisions of criminal tribunals and 'the People's Court' created in 1934. After 1939, the German political prisoneers were joined by foreign forced labourers among which also a group of Tatar intellectuals and officers. Another important group was represented by the Czech resistence fighters.

In the memorial courtyard, the ashes of some of the victims in concentration camps were brought in a massive urn. 

The exhibition space is mostly covered in dark, recreating an ambiance of respect for the victims but also awe thinking about those times. There are not too many words to describe it. Prisoners were beheaded bz ax or guilotine brought under strict secrecy. The prisoners who were sentenced to death were housed in the large cell block (House III) directly next to the execution shed. They spent their last hours in shackles in special ground-level cells, 'the house of the dead'. Their last walk was across a small courtyard.

About half of those executed were Germans, most for resistance activities. Among them, the theologian and political thinker Hermann Stöhr, the communists Liselotte Herrmann and Galina Romanova, many members of the Red Orchestra secret organisation as well as those involved in the attempted coup of July 20, 1944.

The memory of the victims is reminded in short stories, in both English and German. The entrance is free of charge. 

I slowly left the place with a heavy heart, while planning to update my knowledge about the resistance movements in Germany, especially outside Berlin. The quietness followed me, but was getting less heavy, especially upon reaching the other side of the street, with the view over the river.

The quietness of bad memories was replaced by the rays of lights. At a big extent, the lesson of the day was that despite the overwhelming darkness, ther were people trying to bring back the light and they paid with their lives. Their actions made a difference in a sea of deadly indifference.

A visit at the Bauhaus Archiv-Museum

I am a very big admirer of the Bauhaus movement, both as a cultural and an artistic/architectural standard and since I move to Germany I rarely miss the opportunity to document their traces, including by an early visit to Dessau. However, the Bauhaus Archives were somehow missed, probably because I was - wrongly - thinking that there must be only about documents and nothing new can be brought to me already extensive knowledge about the movement. However, one Monday of the last week, I decided that I have to change this, and took the bus till the Museum. First, I had a short meditation on the Herkules bridge, taking the full advantage of the sunny morning. The chaise-longues near the river were inviting to stay more, but decided to keep with the schedule this time.

At the entrance, the project re-use in process to be finished, is aimed to show the different layers of the movement and also to offer a new temporary exhibition place.

The irregular and outsanding building of the museum is one of a kind in Berlin. Initially set for Darmstadt but moved to Berlin in the 1970s, it was planned by the founder of Bauhaus, Martin Gropius, who did not live to see it finalized. The local authorities were not that keen to accept it, and was finished thanks to private contributions. It was the first such archive of the Bauhaus and it used most of the archives donated by Gropius himself as well as by other members of the movement. 

In the middle of the green area, with trees and a small park, the building is a patch of concrete white. The entrance is done through a serpent-like platform, called 'Eternity', in the middle of two independent agglomeration of blocks, parallel and equal to each other, united by a middle section. 

From the top of the platform, I was able to see the simple geometry of the two-story structure hosting the 800 square meters of exhibitional space. 

According to the special wishes of Gropius, this unique post-war modernist building should be renovated and changed only by respecting particular technical and artistic directions.

Inside the museum, a new exhibition introduced over 100 new objects added to the Museum collection. Among them, many black and white photography by Nathan Lerner, Josef Hartwig sculptures, collections of wooden toys and studies about colours, sketches by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, or the beautiful paper umbrella by Ferdinand Kramer. 

What I admire about this movement is its extensive interest for almost any topic related to arts, from the fine investigation and reevaluation of the properties of metals - an example being Takehiko Mizutani Study in the property of metals, made of sheets of brass superposed - till the focus on how to better teach arts. The archives are carefully tracing the different stages of the movement of the trajectory of some important representatives, such as Kandinsky, Lyonel Feininger, Oskar Schlemmer or Paul Klee. Not to miss also the Marcel Breuer chairs or the spectacular light installation by Laszlo Moholy-Nagy or the project of Germany's Pavillion at the World Expo 1929. The full archives can be also consulted at the library, upon request.

Interior design and architecture are one of the most famous changes brought by Bauhaus and that changed the faces of many cities from around the world (the White City of Tel Aviv not mentioned in the exhibition is the most famous example). According to Gropius, building means designing life processes and an art of living. He was pledging for 'organic designing of objects in keeping with their own present-day laws, without any romantic goss or fanciful frills', 'limitation to typical primary forms', use of 'colours that anyone can understand', 'simplicity and multiplicity', 'economical utilization of space, material, time and money'.

We can hardly understand the contemporary architecture today without Bauhaus and the Archives are a good inspiration for anyone trying to learn more about, either as a curious tourist or as an artist/architect-in-the making.

New exhibitions at Amerika Haus - C/O Berlin

One of the few places that I visited shortly after relocating to Berlin was the good old Amerika Haus where I intensively studied about cultural diplomacy with the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy. Since then, many years after, the building was turned into an open space for cultural exhibitions, after the C/O Berlin, another favourite exhibition place of mine that was hosted in the Eastern part of the city, was moved here. 

Nostalgically, I returned there two weeks ago, decided to explore the new space and to check the fresh exhibitions. The entire area got a younger air, the classical serious ambiance of the former Cold War being left behind. The shop sells interesting glossy books about the history of arts and big posters of former exhibitions. Photography prevails, but also albums dedicated to modern and contemporary trends in arts. 

It is Sunday, and the place is crowded, outdoors, as many prefer to enjoy their limited portion of sun from the chairs placed outside, or indoors, either wandering through the exhibition spaces or tasting some pastel de nata at the caffe. The space has the air of a Viennaise coffee house, with a reminder that we are in the world of arts though: The Waiting for, the work of Michail Pirgelis, can be admired on the left side of the hall. Created in 2014, it explores the notion of flight, the fragility of the human beings in the middle of the clouds but also suggests new ways of looking at industrial objects, such as airplanes. 

It is about time for visiting the exhibitions, newly open at the beginning of April. At the ground level, the massive photography of natural landscapes reunited under the title Genesis is a passionate quest for the world as it used to be and for a genuine feeling of rediscovering the nature. The black and white photos are testimonies of the artist's search for meaning all over the world, from Okavango Delta to South America, from the frozen North to the middle of the African continent discovering isolated tribes. It is the kind of exhibition that inspires the traveller and at the end of which you want to visit once again. And leave only after entering one of the images on the walls and never coming back in the middle of the concrete buildings.

The second exhibition, at the next floor - Distance and Desire - presents African photography from the Walther collection, covering the late 19th - early 20st century. In the spirit of the time, and sometimes with the discriminatory way of seeing, it presents portraits and figure studies, album pages of local people, the emergent middle class as well as various local personalities. In an ironic way, contemporary artists tried to irreverently combat stereotypes and ethnic visions, through ironic photographies reenacting old postures familiar to the European style of photographing the African continent. 

Last but not least, the last part of my art journey of the day was dedicated to a Eastern German memories. In Kunst. Freiheit. Lebensfreude (Art. Freedom. Joy of Life), Emanuel Mathias give a new lecture to the very monotonous archives of the Cotton Spinning Factory (Baumwollespinnerei) in Leipzig. Presence and absences and various work instructions are read in a very creative and different way, translated as works of art, written words sewn on pieces of cotton. A completely new way to approach the archives that I would like to explore more in the near future. 

The C/O Berlin also has a dedicated program for juniors and teens, teaching photography, film, design, and architecture to youngsters between 14 and 17 years old.

Disclaimer: I was offered a free entrance ticket to the exhibitions, but the opinions are, as usual, my own

Tel Aviv visits Berlin at Martin Gropius Bau

Since the end of March till the 21th of June, Martin Gropius Bau is hosting a very interesting exhibition of over 70 masterpieces of art from the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. Organised on the occasion of the events held for celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Germany, it aims to bring to Europe not only special works of art diplayed for the first time on the continent, but also samples of contemporary Israeli art. 

Tel Aviv Museum of Art was established for the first time in the house of the then mayor Meir Dizengoff, the new headquarters of the 5-story Amir building labelled as a sample of 'Israeli brutalism' being inaugurated in 2011. A short ironic graphic montage tells the story of the first museum, with added photographic details of the current compound. The exhibition is organized according to different thematic sections, featuring nature, women, the old world etc. It features 20th century artists, many of them with a certain connection with Berlin and Germany such as Kandinsky, Lesser Ury, Max Beckmann, Felix Nussbaum. Most of the works belong to Jewish artists, featuring abstract art, such as the beautiful Bewildered World by Max Ernst, Marc Chagall's Solitude, the very rare Had Gadya illustrations by El Lissitzky, Jackson Pollock outburst of colourful emotions, Chaim Soutine or the special Blue Leaves by Arie Aroch. Personally I was happy to admire the rain of light colours from Paul Ensor or Paul Signac landscapes, Mark Rothko's No. 24 - which is opening the exhibition, the Zurich Ball of Marcel Janco, the Venetian woman by Giacometti or the Old Synagogue by Issacher Ryback, Danseuses by Degas, Egon Schiele and the work of the interesting Arshile Gorky. Interesting works presented are also Lady Lilith by Dante Gabriel Rosetti, Alexander Archipenko, Edvard Munch and Pablo Picasso.

Although I find the selection of contemporary Israeli art - mostly art installations - at centuries distance compared to the 'classical' works, I found the installation by Michal Helfman at the end of the exhibition, an interesting idea. Accompanied by music at certain moments of the day, it develops the theme: 'While dictators rage'. The kites projected on a murky sky are creating the stage for a violing and clarinet concert interpreting a musical piece featured in the 'Triumph of Death' by Felix Nussbaum. 

Out of darkness and persecutions, the spirit triumphs against death and rage of idols. The diversity of the works and styles features at this important exhibition is not only a sample of creativity but also of human perspectives and European history. 

Discovering Schmagendorf

With almost seven years of constant experience of discovering more new and new corners of Berlin, I am almost sure that there are few things left to really impress me. However, one day at the end of the winter, while walking for a couple of hours around Hohenzollerndamm, I discovered a little unexpected island: Schmagendorf. As I felt attracted by the mixture of old Berlin style, new and old architecture and a lot of new modern restaurants, I decided to come back later a couple of weeks later, in one sunny day to carefully document this neighbourhood. 

I started my walk at the historical Hohenzollerndamm historical train station, walking slowly the long avenue with the same name, for almost 30 minutes. There are not too many shops around, and only few scattered restaurants, many medical cabinets and pharmacies, with the only main attraction being the Ice stadion whose season just ended. The only bus connecting with the rest of the city is no. 115, but this time I was rather interested to walk discovering ineresting architecture styles, houses and eventually the people living here.

From Elsterplatz, I followed the touristic arrows indicating the direction of Townhall Schmagendorf, via Berkaerstrasse. Dominated by the castle-look of the town hall, the street also has modernist samples of architecture, and a relatively fancy Italian restaurant, Lucullus. The sound of the music lessons held in the old townhall rooms, resounding from the early spring open windows, gave to the entire area a certain irreal flavour. The area at the intersection between Berkaer and Breitestrasse keeps an ambiance of the 1950s. At the no. 31-35 on Berkaerstr. it used to be the Jewish old people's home built by Alex. Beer. At Hundekehlstr. 11, Rainer Maria Rilke wrote in 1899 the Cornet poem. 

The first time when I arrived in the area, my imagination was challenged about the brick-Gothic style of the townhall and wanted not only to find out more historical facts about it, but also to go inside, searching for more secrets. Outside, the architectural style was influenced by the trends used for public institutions in Brandenburg area at the beginning of the 20th century. The round over tower is crowded with battlements and cone-shaped cap towers above the steep gable building., made of several parts. Inaugurated in 1902 as a townhall, in 1920 was downgraded only as a town registry, following the incorporation of Schmagendorf into the Wilmersdorf district. Here married Romy Schneider as well as other German personalities.  

But the discoveries inside the building are even more interesting. The serious arches made of the red brick stones are watered by the reflection of light filtered through the stained glasss mosaique. A discrete notice on the corner of one of the works mentions that the work was created by Helena Starck Buchholz and set up by August Wagner. For now, the building hosts a children library and a music school. The voices of the children running fast to start their music lessons or to take a new book from the library add even more life to the sober interior. 

On the streets around, the spring invited everyone to go out of their houses, so I can see the many generations of people living here. As in many other small neighbourhoods of Berlin, you can have here almost everything to make your life comfortable without going too far away of your comfort zone: a flower shop, a computer shop, a couple of local bookstores. Another Italian restaurant, Nuovo Mario, am Koeberger Square is half-full at this mid-day time. Every Saturday, on Reichenhalterstr. there is a flea market, with cheap food or home products offered to the locals. 

As in any respectable Berlin Kiez, it has its own bio store: Hofladen im Kiez, with fresh pastry and various ecological products, including a colourful healthy selection of fruits and vegetables. 

And I keep exploring, from the big avenues dominated by classical West Berlin buildings, to the local small veggie store on Friedrichshaller, My & Minh Sushi Viet bar, or the Casa Delizia Italian restaurant that already serves the menu outside. 

Once arrived on Breitestr., the life is getting very busy. At the old style Jebens Konditorei, classical German sweets are served and you can hardly find a free table right now. At no. 20, a mysterious yard is hosting various Artists' workshops, with special discounts for various classes. A bit far away, there is Dschunke, introduced as one of the oldest Chinese restaurant in West Berlin, as well as a small welcoming bookstore. 

But, what is happening here? After a relatively friendly winter, people, especially the smallest among us, are waiting impatiently to have their small portion of delicious Italian icecream. It was about time!

Back on Barkaerstreet, I feel that at least for now, my short journey to Schmagendorf is about to end. After a last look, and a couple of more pictures of the townhall, I am back on Hohenzollerndamm. The announcement board near the Carl Orff school anounces the schedule of the next meetings in the neighbourhood, varying from cooking classes to different lectures. What else can you want more! Life in Berlin seems to be interesting, whatever where do you live! With the spring already in town, it seems that there will be a lot of new things to do and to discover around!