- Plenary Session -

The essential and possible contribution of art to the culture of the public realm
LIFE-STREAM

Thursday, 9th, 13.30 – 14.45 Large Auditorium 1

Three quite different projects exemplify possible contributions that art can make to the culture of the public realm. The ensuing debate will examine these exa- mples in terms of their impact on their respective urban societies. Discussion will be focussed on the participatory approach and aspects of commemorative culture underlying each project.
The projects to be discussed are:
“Estoesunsolar” by Patrizia di Monte and Ignacio Grávalos, commissioned by the city of Zaragoza. Theme: public appropriation of unused public space; sustainable and visible.“Woher Kollege – Wohin Kollege” (Buddy, Where Do You Come From, Where Are You Going?) by the artist duo Empfangshalle (Corbinian Böhm and Michael Gruber), commissioned by the city of Munich. Theme: participation and cultural diversity in a municipal social service sector; temporary but with high impact.
“Werkstatt für Veränderung” (Workshop for Change) by Seraphina Lenz commissioned by the municipality of Neukölln and the Senate of Berlin. Theme: polyvalence of public space, stimulating various social groups to appropriate public space through participatory actions over several years; temporary but impressive.

Speakers: Corbinian Böhm and Michael Gruber (Visual Artists, Munich)
Seraphina Lenz (Visual Artist, Berlin)
Patrizia di Monte (Architect, “estonoesunsolar” Zaragoza)

Moderator: Rainer W. Ernst (President, Muthesius Academy Kiel)


The session will be in English and German; simultaneous translation available.

Corbinian Böhm and Michael Gruber have worked together since 1995 under the name EMPFANGSHALLE. EMPFANGSHALLE creates art in the midst of our society. This society, consisting of the most diverse groups and different structures, is the medium of their works. More precisely, EMPFANGS- HALLE embraces people who form such groups through shared ideas, surroun- dings or activities. We dock onto what has already taken form and something new arises from this contact; a new space arises in the previously existing structure – the space of EMPFANGSHALLE.

Seraphina Lenz is a visual artist. Since 2001, she has been realising exhibitions and projects in the public realm in Germany and abroad. One of the topics of her projects/work is the creation of urban spaces. Between 2003 and 2010, she realised the Werkstatt für Veränderung -Workshop for Change, an artistic concept for the design of a park in Berlin Neukölln. In 2008, she co-founded the artist-run project space oqbo, a platform for exhibitions, talks and new music. She currently teaches at the University of the Arts, Berlin (UdK) in the institute Art in Context.

Rainer W. Ernst is Professor of Architecture and Urban Design. Between 1996 and 2004 he was Rector of the School of Art and Design in Berlin-Weis- sensee (KHB). He is member of the Board of the Deutscher Werkbund Berlin, and also of the Bund Deutscher Architekten. Before that he was a member of S.T.E.R.N. (an association responsible for the careful urban rehabilitation pro- cess in Berlin) and founder and Director of the Habitat Forum Berlin. From 1999 to 2001 he was President of the Association of German Architects in Berlin (BDA). He has been a researcher, consultant, and teacher outside of Europe. He received a first prize in the competitions Urban Development of Dietzenbach (1976), Expansion of the School of Arts Berlin (1989), and for the old town centre concept of Woltersdorf (1996). Since 2008 he has been President of the Muthesius School of Art in Kiel.