Pilotprojekt Gropiusstadt
March 8th, 2009
From 9 March to 15 March 2009 I will be resident artist in Gropiusstadt
International Artists-in-Residence Program
Since 2002 artists can be invited to participate in the „Pilotprojekt Gropiusstadt“ to create ideas for temporary interventions in the public space of Gropiusstadt, Berlin. The artists develop their ideas during a stay in the area: the GEHAG householding company provides an apartment which is located in Gropiusstadt. The works done by the artists try to intervene in or interfere with normal daily life in Gropiusstadt, they can be kinds of actions which involve the inhabitants or just small interventions in the environment.
Gropiusstadt
Gropiusstadt, a satellite town situated on the outskirts of Berlin, was built in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Its most prominent feature is its 10 to 25 storied building-development. The original plans from Walter Gropius were reworked later by others to house more people. Its current population is approximately 37,000.
The artists flat
The apartment where the artists live is located on the 8th floor of a 24-story apartment-block. It provides a huge live- and working room as well as a bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. All rooms are furnished functionally and can adequately house an artist staying from one (to create an idea) to four weeks (to realize a project). Situated at the border of the area the flat offers a view over the rural landscape in the south as well as over the surrounding skyscrapers of Gropiusstadt. Most of the artists are inspired by this view as well as by the impressions of daily life in Gropiusstadt and create ideas for artistic approaches. In contrast to other residence programs artists of the Pilotprojekt Gropiusstadt are not forced to realize a project: they can simply use the opportunity to escape their regular hum-drumlives and tank new energy, or concentrating on photographic, literary or journalistic work, or by using the time for reflection.