Kinzigstr. 1990 © Ben de Biel
Berlin Wonderland - Wild Years Revisited 1990-1996
31/05/2023 - 28/08/2023
Goethe Institut
17 Av. d'Iéna
75016 Paris
www.goethe.de/ins/fr/fr/sta/par.html
"As far as I know, this comes into force... immediately, without delay". These few words stammered by Günther Schabowski, spokesman for the government of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) on November 9, 1989, triggered one of the most iconic events in recent history - the fall of the Berlin Wall. Faced with the hordes of East Germans heading for the wall, the outmoded guards opened the borders. The separation between East and West, communism and capitalism was over. There followed a phase of freedom and optimism, but also disappointment and anxiety.
The exhibition reflects the years from 1990 to 96, during which many buildings in Mitte (Berlin's central district) were abandoned. Unclear jurisdictions and ownership statuses created a vacuum that many artists and cultural players used intensively. Young creative people from all over the world arrived in Berlin to take advantage of these exceptional opportunities and create a new lifestyle.
Goethe Institut
17 Av. d'Iéna
75016 Paris
www.goethe.de/ins/fr/fr/sta/par.html
"As far as I know, this comes into force... immediately, without delay". These few words stammered by Günther Schabowski, spokesman for the government of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) on November 9, 1989, triggered one of the most iconic events in recent history - the fall of the Berlin Wall. Faced with the hordes of East Germans heading for the wall, the outmoded guards opened the borders. The separation between East and West, communism and capitalism was over. There followed a phase of freedom and optimism, but also disappointment and anxiety.
The exhibition reflects the years from 1990 to 96, during which many buildings in Mitte (Berlin's central district) were abandoned. Unclear jurisdictions and ownership statuses created a vacuum that many artists and cultural players used intensively. Young creative people from all over the world arrived in Berlin to take advantage of these exceptional opportunities and create a new lifestyle.