art biesenthal 2009

for some reason i missed this event last year and i so want to go this time. art biesenthal is a small, privately organised art event outside berlin. the open weekend on 15 and 16 august sounds like the perfect resaon to take a look. the garden is open, there'll be a barbecue, a party and the opportunity to bring your own picnic - and just enjoy. obviously you go because you want to see the art - but i guess with this kind of programme you might even be able to convince a few friends to come along who feel a bit so-so about contemporary art. in any case, the line-up this year is quite impressive, artists include alicja kwade and via lewandowsky. what i find so fascinating about this place, is that it is an old building in the countryside not far from berlin (a 45 min train ride or drive away) that has been completely overhauled by an contemporary architect. which means, in this case, that only the facade of the old building was kept and a new building attached to its back. to me, that has a sort of movie set quality. very clever.

all pictures in this post: courtesy biesentahl.org. if i manage to go (this is one of the rare occasions where it would be really handy to have a car...), i'll post my own photos - and that's a promise!

art biesenthal 2009, 18 july-27 september 2009, open weekend 15-16 august, sat 12.00-24.00 h, sun 12.00-19.00 h, with barbecue, music and party, find more info here (including directions)

do you read me?!

located on auguststraße in mitte, this shop is entirely devoted to magazines. how cool is that. at do you read me ?! you will find printed matters on fashion, art, architecture, photography, literature and society. less so mainstream fare, but a wide array of independent or specialist publications. there's also a smaller selection of newspapers, both german and international as well as some international fashion magazines that you'd usually expect to find at a newsagent's in a big station or airport - only that this way you don't have to travel all that way. a hand-picked selection of art and photography books completes the shop's stock. expect to spend some time and probably more money than you had planned to. be inspired!

find it on auguststr. 28, 10117 berlin (mitte), phone 030-695 49 695, summer opening times: mon-sat 10.00-20.30h. 

haus der kulturen der welt

haus der kulturen der welt (house of world cultures) is a landmark mid-century modern monument and of my favourite architectural highlights of berlin. and that's putting it mildly. i think i'm probably in love with that building. berliners, who have nicknames for almost all famous sights in the city, call it 'the pregnant oyster'. and it does have quite a dramatic, curving silhouette. 

the building was designed by american architect hugh stubbins as american contribution to 'interbau 1957', a watershed post-war building exhibition in berlin, for which architects like le corbusier, alvar aalto and others planned and completed architectural projects. originally used as a congress hall, today the house of world cultures hosts a wide array of exhibitions and events, creating a platform for non-european art and culture in berlin. the programme is varied and ranges from art shows to concerts, film screenings, panel discussions and other media events. check out their website for events, further information on the history of the building and their mission statement. there's bound to be something worth seeing at any one time.

the house of world cultures also has a small bookshop and a café. in the summer months, you can sit outside - from the terrace you can see the boats on the river spree go past. and maybe you'd like to go for a walk in the tiergarten park. it's also easy to walk from here to the reichstag or brandenburg gate if you have plans to do so (i reckon a 15-20 min walk).

find it on john-foster-dulles-allee 10, 10557 berlin (tiergarten), phone (box office) 030-39 78 71 75, open mon-sun 10.00-19.00 h (exhibitions wed-mon 11.00-19.00h), for events see their programme