If you are in Berlin, join this event at Kunstverein Tiergarten with artists and experts reflecting the current situation of art in public space.
Art in public spaces is booming. Not only are many art-in-construction projects being implemented in Berlin within the framework of the current boom, but public as well as private initiatives rediscover the articulation and argumentation possibilities of urban space.
After the sculpture boulevards and drop sculptures of the 80s and 90s, today the critical reflection of urban transformation processes, socio-spatial development issues and participatory aspects are in high demand.
Artists, foundations and authorities as well as private companies are pushing into the public space in order to occupy the last collective freedom in the commercial battle for suppression. These free spaces should be developed and designed democratically, the interest of the urban public increases.
Remains to ask: What does art do? Can it claim its freedom and autonomy? Or is it in danger of running after set topics and trends and increasingly becoming a tool of social and urban political interests? Why does high art focus on the centers, while on the periphery art is reduced to a format of therapy? What role does art play in Berlin’s city marketing in the future? What role does the funding instruments play?
In discussion are:
Dr. Eva Högl, lawyer and politician, member of the German Bundestag and deputy chairman of the SPD parliamentary group, deputy member of the cultural committee of the German Bundestag and also member of the Kunstverein Tiergarten.
Bettina Quäschning, cultural marketing expert, new head of the department Partner Relations of visitBerlin working on upgrading of cultural offers in the Berlin districts.
Prof. Nicola Lepp, art and cultural scientist, professor for culture and mediation at the FH Potsdam dealing with the interfaces of city, construction and culture.
Judith Laub, cultural and political scientist, program director for urban culture in the department of art and culture / district office center of Berlin, was previously working for the Berlin cultural administration in the field of art on buildings and urban space.
Thorsten Goldberg, artist, numerous works in the public space and art-on-construction projects, member of various committees and juries in the organization of competitions and selection of projects.
Adam Page, artist, representative of the artist couple Hertzsch & Page, since 1994 numerous projects in the urban space in ever-changing cooperations, member of numerous committees and juries.
In conversation with
Veronika Witte, Ralf F. Hartmann and Claudia Beelitz