Dictatorship and Everyday Life in the GDR
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Until July 29th 2007
With some 540 exhibits spread across two floors of the Pei extension of the German Historical Museum, this huge show—years in the making—provides a comprehensive look at life in East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall. As early as 1990, the museum called upon Ossis (East Germans) to provide consumer goods, art, letters, school books, furniture, costumes, documents, photos, newspapers and more. The result is an excellent, thematically arranged glimpse of life in the communist state. Accompanying text (in German and English) include examples of the humour that lightened an often dark way of life. The exhibition includes a related film programme.
German Historical Museum, Unter den Linden 2, 10117 Berlin-Mitte. Tel: +49 (0)30 2030 4444. See the museum’s website.
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April 20th-28th 2007
Encouraged by the success of British Music Week in Berlin last year, this year’s events will be staged in not only the capital, but also Hamburg, Cologne and Munich. Berlin remains the centre of the festivities, with clubs including Lido, Maria am Ufer, Mudd Club, Magnet and others featuring artists such as Brett Anderson, Lady Sovereign and Idlewild, along with lesser-known acts. The drool-worthy Sugababes (pictured) open proceedings at Tempelhof’s Columbiahalle.
For more information, see the week’s website. To book, tel: +49 (0)1805 570 000 or online at Eventim.de.
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Until May 28th 2007
Following retrospectives of the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Capa, the Martin-Gropius-Bau (in association with Paris’s Centre Pompidou) presents another icon of French photography. On display are 255 photos and drawings by Brassaï, a Hungarian-Armenian photographer who was born in 1899 in Brassó (today’s Braşov in Romania).
After working as a journalist in Berlin, Brassaï moved to Paris, where he stayed until his death in 1984. He often wandered the city’s streets at night, alone or with his friends such as Henry Miller and Raymond Queneau. The strolls formed the basis of his famous night shots, published as “Paris by Night” in 1932—a series of photos forming one of the six chapters of this fine exhibition.
Martin-Gropius-Bau, Niederkirchnerstrasse 7, 10963 Berlin-Mitte. Tel: +49 (0)30 254 860. See the exhibition’s website.
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Until August 19th 2007
The Chamäleon is undoubtedly Berlin’s most innovative theatre, but “Soap” exceeds all expectations. This dynamic, sensual feast involves a lot of water, bubbles, singing, dancing and acrobatics in, under and above bath tubs. There is a lot to take in, from arias sung by Lina Navakaite, a Lithuanian soprano (whose adaptation of an old Berlin song about Lake Wannsee is a particular comic delight), to the rubber-boned acrobatics of Marjorie Nantel, an amazing Canadian performer. What the show lacks in depth it makes up for in spectacle.
Chamäleon, in den Hackeschen Höfen, Rosenthaler Str. 40/41, 10178 Berlin-Mitte. Tel: +49 (0)30 4000 590 or visit the theatre’s website.
Treasures of Tibet’s Monasteries
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Until May 28th 2007
This spectacular display of Buddhist artefacts from Tibet is one of Berlin’s seasonal highlights. Although some have criticised the show for ignoring Tibet’s political situation, few can argue with the wealth of art on display. Pieces from China, India, Nepal and Kashmir illustrate the artistic and religious links between Tibet and its neighbours. A programme of lectures and guided tours runs alongside the display.
Museum für Asiatische Kunst, Lansstrasse 8, 14195 Berlin-Dahlem. Tel: +49 (0)30 830 1438. See the exhibition’s website.
The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy: The Exhibition
Until April 29th 2007
In case you have been living under a rock for the past few years, this exhibition is based on the extraordinarily successful films that adapted J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy. Fans of the epic will be well-served by the show, put together by the Museum of New Zealand and New Line Cinema, the production company that made all three films. The exhibition, on display at the Caligari Hall at Filmpark Babelsberg, near Potsdam, takes visitors on a tour of the technology behind the trilogy’s costumes, special effects and battle scenes, with interviews with Peter Jackson, the director, and his cast.
If you missed this exhibition in London, Singapore, Boston, Wellington or Sydney, here is your chance to see it at its only German venue. All other shows in the film park and the studio tour are closed during winter and will start again on April 3rd.
See article: “One ring to bring them all”, February 27th 2003
Filmpark Babelsberg, entrance in Grossbeerenstrasse, 14482 Potsdam. Open: daily 10am-8pm. From Berlin take S-Bahn S1 to Babelsberg. Tel: +49 (0)30 721 2800. See website.
Christian Dior and Germany, 1947-1957
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February 12th-May 28th 2007
Christian Dior had an enormous impact on the fashion world after the second world war. His 22 collections initiated a sartorial revolution and helped to make Paris the centre of fashion once again. This fine exhibition marks the 60th anniversary of the launch of his debut collection, the Corolle Line, in Paris in February 1947. This was the collection that inspired the term “New Look”, and the 20 pieces on display—all soft shoulders, cinched waists and billowing skirts, which graced the likes of Marlene Dietrich, Jackie Kennedy and Eva Perón—provide more than a whiff of glamour. The show includes press reports, photos, drawings, fashion magazines, and audio and film recordings. Much of the material is drawn from his only visit to Germany, in 1955, and the ten German shows of his collections between 1949 and 1953. He died suddenly in 1957, aged 52.
Kunstbibliothek im Kulturforum Potsdamer Platz, Matthäikirchplatz 8, 10785 Berlin-Tiergarten. Tel: +49 (0)30 266 2029. See the museum’s website.
1 response so far ↓
moreover // April 28, 2007 at 12:31 am
Oh, I was in berlin and saw greatstuff…