Bregje van Woensel

PALAST DES ZWEIFELS -

Palast der Republik, Berlin (January - May 2005) PALAST DES ZWEIFELS (the Palace of Doubt), by Lars Ramsberg, transformed the non-functional architecture of the DDR´s Palace of Republic, into a virtual institution for doubt.
Once a glamorous modernist masterpiece build in the 1970´s, Palast der Republik was a giant steel construction with solid white marble facade and with copper-gold coated windows. It was mirroring the Berliner Dome, Schinkel´s Lustgarten and other historical buildings on the Museums Island. The palace was erected by presisdent Erich Honnecker and therefore it was among East Berliners nicknamed as «Erichs Lampenladen», (erichs lamp shop) due to its thousands of bright lights, chandeliers and lamps. It was open to public and ordinary people dated, married, dined and danced in this hybrid of a parliament and communal house. After the fall of DDR in 1990, the palace was abandonded and left empty and dark for more than 15 years. Between 1998 -2003 asbestos was removed and in the process the complete interior and the facade was ruined. On daily basis, ever since the Reunification, the building was subject to massive debates: Which position could the Palace have in the future, as icon of a former totalitarian regime? Could it fulfill a new function, becoming a new cultural place like it used to be? Or would the social site where eastgermans had spent their leisure become a problem for a new Germany? Monitoring these debates over years Ramberg developed the idea to create a monument -over the debate itself, the transparancy of the identity discourse, and the collective courage to doubt. Palast des Zweifel was his tribute to the new era of German history, where Doubt has become a proof of reflection and democracy. Collective doubt has brought Germany out of its totalitarian background and in fact united the two German nations. After 6 years of investigation in bureaucrazy and technical preparations Palast des Zweifels was finally realised. www.palastdeszweifels.de
www.larsramsberg.de

ALL ART HAS BEEN CONTEMPORARY -

All Art has been Contemporary. A Neon by Maurizio Nannucci during the Berlin Biennial 2008 on the Altes Museum. The Altes Museum, built by Karl Friedrich Schinkel (1824-30) was the first to be built on Museum Island. Originally intended to house the Prussian royal family’s art collection, it was one of the first buildings in Europe to be designed specifically as a museum. Schinkel’s broad, open facade symbolized that these collections were now accessible to the public.
www.maurizionannucci.it